Chapter 5

Captain Syakotus and his two Crimson Fists moved quickly through the darkness of the sewers, trudging on through the sludge. Len Ruo who was on point stopped abruptly, signalling the others to follow suit.

"What is it, brother?" Syakotus asked.

Igniting the flamer he grasp tightly in his crimson hands Len Ruo went down on one knee. "Captain, it looks like two Chaos Marines on sentry by that ladder."

Syakotus crept up to his side, followed by Cuoson.

"What now?" asked Len Ruo.

Flexing his fingers over the trigger placed in his crimson palm for his storm bolter Syakotus looked above them at the dank ceiling. "If I'm correct, we're directly under the power plant. It looks like that ladder is our way in."

Cuoson pulled out his auspex, looking at the screen through the darkness that covered them like a blanket. "Lucky us ,it's just the two of them," he said, looking up at Syakotus.

"How are we doing this, Captain?" asked Len Ruo.

"Burn the bastards."

With that Len Ruo jumped up and charged forwards, splashing sludge across his legs, gripping his flamer tightly, and squeezing his finger over the trigger. A gush of flames shot out into the two Night Lords. Taking them by surprise they barely had time to react. Gripping their bolters to attack, the flames engulfed them totally.

Both of the Chaos Marines fell forwards into the murky sludge, screeching in pain whilst the flames burnt through their dark blue armour, lighting them up and burning into their corrupted flesh. Len Ruo stood over both of the dying Marines and let out a second burst of flames, adding to their already agonising pain. Dropping their bolters, the two Marines screeched out loudly, letting the screams of their dying breaths echo straight down the sewers, soon to die out.

Syakotus stepped over the charred bodies of the two Chaos Marines. Gripping onto the ladder's sides, he began climbing the long ladder upwards. Once Syakotus had reached the top he began turning the squeaking circular handle, unscrewing the sewers lid, pushing it upwards. He pulled himself out. He took his power sword from its scabbard, then flicked the handle switch. The sword began a gentle humming before the blade began turning slightly red. Cuoson and Len Ruo followed him out gripping their weapons tightly.

"What now, Captain?" asked Cuoson.

Syakotus took in his surroundings. The corridor in which they had climbed up in(?) was very wide, wide enough for three tanks to travel side by side. The top was arched much like the inside of a holy church, the whole structure was dark and grey with an old gothic look. The floor was made up of marble, with square patterns across the sides, with the shapes of circles all down the centre.

"We find the power source of this place and destroy it."

Both Len Ruo and Cuoson looked each other in the face, then Cuoson cocked his bolter for immediate disperse.

Syakotus engaged the vox unit in his throat. "Korde…"

"Captain…Captain. Good to hear your voice. We thought you were dead," came Kordes' voice.

"You should know me better than that, Sergeant. What's your location?"

"At the moment we're en-route to the power plant…we managed to take control of the cathedral…but we assumed you were dead, so I took command leaving Gevedin at the cathedral…trouble is we are badly out numbered down here…Quornas voxed me. He says the Salamanders have arrived…He's ordered a pick up for Gevedin's squad…may I ask your location?"

"Good news for you, Kordem I'm at the power plant. So get here fast."

Overhead the deafening sound of the Thunderhawks could be heard. Here and there their salamander green colour could be seen by all through the bellowing debris and dust. They began lowering to the ground, shaking(?) all the debris across the air in gushes of a forced wind, blowing the grass below around. Their roaring engines drowned out any other noises.

Several of these large bulky armoured vessels descended from the rising dawn sky, and lowered to the ground. With a mighty last roar, they touched down, shaking the ground once more in one final defiance. A last burst of flames came from their aft engines, before falling silent. They'd come to rest by the cliffs within the same location as Quornas, Commissar Fenerson and Lieutenant Tyde.

Quornas approached the lead Thunderhawks ramp whilst it began lowering for the Salamanders Commander to greet Quornas himself. Fenerson followed Quornas, with Lieutenant Tyde at his side, placing his Lieutenant's cap above his short cropped, fair hair. The Salamanders Commander stepped from the ramp, followed by Grailin.

"I am Commander Volorie of the Salamanders Fourth Company, and we have come as requested," he said, speaking in a deep tone.

Grailin bowed his head before Quornas. "I found them en-route to our location, so it seemed the right thing to do and thus I joined them," he explained, while stepping from the ramp to stand with Quornas.

"Under these circumstances it appears you have done the right thing," Quornas returned.

Quornas looked Commander Volorie up and down. He was a dark skinned man with short blond hair, he wore many purity seals across his eagle spread chest, along with his terminator honours chain. His left shoulder pad was marked with the Salamanders symbol, whilst his right shoulder pad bore the mark of his terminator honours sculpted permanently for all to see. Jis flapping cape was made up of a giant salamander's skin.

"From the air we saw at least five hundred Chaos Marines headed towards the bridge. So if you would, I believe the time has come to evacuate this place."

"My Captain is currently in the city, trying to destroy it," explained Quornas.

"Have you managed to evacuate all the civilians?" Volorie asked, looking at Fenerson.

Fenerson removed his cap to scratch his short white kempt hair. "The last is about to leave now."

Then Commander Volorie looked across the thrashing river into Volcane. "If we're going to do this right, I need all of your guardsmen and your Leman Russ battle tanks at this side of the bridge fending that scum off, if they try to cross, whilst we try to find the Crimson Fists' good Captain."

Lieutenant Tyde saluted Volorie. "Consider it done," he said nervously, thinking how he'd just agreed to his death sentence whilst walking off down the hill to lead his men into almost certain death.

"Chaplain, you and your retinue will, of course, join me in the skies."

A sudden noise from a loud splash, followed by a glint of sunlight across the river, caught Quornas's eye. He stepped to the cliff's edge to see Redeka and Vexe drop into the thrashing water from one of the drains leading from the city-side cliffs.

"There!" Quornas yelled, pointing at the two Marines struggling to swim in the thrashing water.

Switching to the com in his throat, Volorie ordered to one of the Thunderhawks "Jisener, we have two swimmers. Pick ‘em up,"

The loud growling sound of the engines ignited up, once again lifting the mighty vessel up into the air. Tilting forwards, it began flying down to the river.

Fenerson had been looking through his binoculars across to Volcane, only to see an armada of hundreds and hundreds of approaching Chaos Marines accompanied by cultists, many of whom were mounted up on the Chaos Marines' Rhinos and Land Raiders. They headed in the direction of the bridge. Putting down his binoculars he looked on at the last of the escaping vessels, carrying the civilians. "I believe it is time for me to take my leave," he said, scuttling past the Salamanders' Thunderhawks and down to the last escape vessel.

Grailin watched as the man boarded the escaping vessel. "Coward," he muttered under his teeth.

"Swimmers picked up, Commander, one of whom is Vexe," came Jiseners voice over the com.

"What of the other?" asked Volorie.

"Just getting to that Commander. He's a Crimson Fist, says some of them are at the city's cathedral."

"Does he know where their Captain is?"

"The power plant."

Quornas, accompanied by his retinue of the five Crimson Fists and now Grailin, followed Volorie up the ramp of his Thunderhawk.

"If I know my Captain, he will be there to destroy it," Quornas said with the ramp closing behind him.

Chapter 6

Pipes and wires covered the ceilings and half of the giant floor, entwined within each other much like that of a Terran snake. Tears of mostly water ran slowly down the wires like snakes themselves. The whole place was practically covered over by a blanket of darkness, every crack and orifice loomed(?) giant shadows across the dank floor. The walls were covered in greasy cog wheels, all slowly turning and making a grinding noise. The sparks from the pistons flared up every time they would meet, pumping fuel up then down again, spitting out glutinous bits of water.

From the centre of the giant hall three huge pipes ran down deep into the void. Every few metres they had cog wheels grinding in different directions, much like the inside of a clock, all damp and rusty, spitting out bits of hot lava mixed by oil on its journey upwards. The void in which they ran straight down took up most of the ground level floor, with wires spilling downwards, and smaller pipes joining the bigger pipes upwards, onto the walls, their dark shadows looming across the floor hiding the pools of clammy water.

The atmosphere was very humidly warm, steam gushed out from every pipe, turning into sticky goo, running out from the three larger powered pumping pipes. Hanging from the balconies, tied together by the wires, were the dead bodies of the Salamanders that had first tried to destroy the place. They had being tied hanging from their feet, almost naked yet disembowelled, with the remains of the intestines hanging from their stomachs and still dripping blood to the ground. The faces from these mighty warriors had being removed, from the looks of their cuts probably while they had being alive.

Narrow bridges ran across to each wall, on every level. all the way up the tall hall. Some of them had severed heads placed from them on spears welded to the sides of the bridges.

Clenching his sword tightly whilst holding his storm bolter arm out, Syakotus slowly stepped over the entwined wires. carefully followed by Len Ruo, clenching his flamer tightly with the blue flame dancing off the barrel. Cuoson followed up on their rear, holding his bolter upwards, looking for possible targets from the balcony's and the thin narrow bridges.

"How the hell does this place tick?" asked Len Ruo.

"If I knew the answer to that, then I would be a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus," Syakotus said, taking a closer look at the large metallic pipes within the centre of the void.

Syakotus stood on the edge of the void looking down into the mouth of the volcano. A strong smell of sulphur filled his lungs.

"OK Brothers, this is the place."

Cuoson, still holding his bolter upwards, stepped up to Syakotus to peer down himself.

"Guess they didn't notice the explosives the Salamanders packed then," he said, dropping his guard to take the detonator in his crimson hand.

"Probably didn't care. I don't think they plan on staying here much longer," Syakotus said, with a slight smile to his face.

Cravex stood, gripping the balcony of the bridge with both hands, looking down and watching the three Crimson Fists entering the power hall. Stood at his side was Lexor, gripping his chain axe in one hand and his bolt pistol in the other. His face was pale, but not as white as Cravex's. Like Cravex, his eyes were like black beads, his long dreadlocks hung from the back of his head halfway down his spine, and like all the Night Lords his armour was a dark metallic blue with the same patterns of lightning pasted across his legs.

"The attack out of Volcane has begun, my Lord," he said with a gruff tone.

Cravex unholstered his plasma pistol and aimed it down at the three Crimson Fists. Lexor daringly stepped a little closer.

"My Lord, there is other news. Several Space Marine Thunderhawks are crossing the skies over Volcane."

Cravex turned his gaze back at Lexor, who was now stepping back.

"Is this going to be a problem?"

"No my Lord. General Tyslore is leading the troops towards the bridge. I believe the Thunderhawks are trying a last ditch rescue attempt," Lexor said, looking down at the three Crimson Fists himself.

"Then we need not concern ourselves with the Thunderhawks. Tell General Tyslore to cross the bridge and start the invasion of the next city, and that I will meet him there to take command. For now I have some unfinished business to take care of."

"Yes, of course, my Lord," Lexor said, walking off from the bridge whilst Cravex took his aim back at the three Crimson Fists below.

A plasma blast from above blasted its way through Cuoson's back, bursting one of his two hearts before shooting out of his chest. Cuoson dropped to his knees letting his bolter clang across the floor before sliding off down the void. Syakotus spun around, aiming his crimson fist upwards whilst clenching his palm trigger, letting out a full burst of auto fire at the bridge above. Len Ruo rushed to aide Cuoson, helping him remove his dark blue helmet.

A second plasma blast screeched downwards at them, again slicing its way through Cuoson's leg.

"Aaaaarrr!" he bellowed from the impact.

Syakotus ran for cover behind one of the larger pipes, still firing his wrist mounted storm bolter upwards in the direction of Cravex. A third plasma blast smashed through Cuoson's stomach, forcing him to roll onto his back in spasms of pain, his short black hair covered in his clotted blood from being spat out once it had filled in his mouth.

His face was covered in sweat and the blood gushing from his nostrils. Inside his chest he could feel his body slowing down, pumping blood from his three wounds, yet he kept his left fist clenched around the detonator Vexe had given him.

"Len Ruo, get to the stairs, flame the bastards coming down," Syakotus bellowed over the gun fire the was ricocheting across the hall.

"What about Cuoson? He's wounded badly, Captain."

"You have your orders, I'll see to Cuoson."

Len Ruo rose to his feet, ignited his flamer and charged towards the metallic stairs. Once he'd seen the amount of Chaos preachers and cultists, all armed with shotguns, auto pistols, clubs with spikes embedded in and chain swords, all racing down the steps at them, he understood Syakotus's orders. With a large gush of flames from his beloved flamer the first of the worshippers were engulfed in an array of his hot flames.

Syakotus rushed to Cuoson's side, and knelt by him.

"Captain," Cuoson groaned spitting out large amounts of blood. "I have failed…uurrr(?)."

Syakotus lifted his head up. "No, Brother, you have not failed, but I will not lie to you. Your time grows short and we are greatly out numbered."

Cuoson spat out more blood, letting his eyes roll whilst his body became more floppy with the spasms from the agonising pain of his mortal wounds. Syakotus raised his head slightly higher. as if cradling it in both his blood stained crimson hands.

"We can not let this scum be victorious today, and for that reason I regret the next thing I must say, but I have one last order for you, Brother."

Spitting out more blood as it filled in his mouth, Cuoson regained some control over his eyes. "Say no more Captain. I understand."

Syakotus dragged him past the continuous ricocheting of the oncoming bullets and las blasts that bounced from the pipes. He helped Cuoson sit upwards. "We don't have much time."

Syakotus held Cuoson's fist by rapping his around it. "You will not be forgotten, Brother. Your name will live on within the chapter halls."

More gunshots bounced around their position in an array of white noise.

"Go, Captain."

"All we need is five minutes to try and get clear, try to hold on. But if you cannot, Brother Cuoson, do not worry. One way or another this city is coming down."

Syakotus released his grip from Cuoson and rose to his feet, taking one last look at the fallen Marine's face. He turned and ran through the ricocheting of gun shots that were bouncing around the hall, off the pipes and pumps. Dancing in wisps from the pumps was steam, gushing out from the bullet holes in the larger pipes. He joined Len Ruo at the bottom of the steps. (?)

Cravex watched the two Crimson Fists charge their way up the stairs. A smile of victory fell upon his face, thinking he'd killed the third. Aiming his plasma pistol at both of them, flexing his armoured fingers around its golden handle, he fired shot after shot, watching them duck down behind the rails whilst each plasma blast missed them both by mere inches. He watched whilst the one carrying the sword sliced his way through his followers, thinking to himself that this warrior was indeed a mighty opponent. By his decorated markings he was, indeed, a Captain.

Cultist after cultist jumped up in front of Syakotus, trying hard to kill him, but their lack of armour was against them.

Syakotus stopped half way up the stairs, aiming his wrist mounted storm bolter at the remaining followers of the dark gods. The front strands of his long hair danced about his face, clinging to the sweat upon his forehead. With a slight glimmer of light from the new dawn, coming from the opening in the ceiling above, he caught a glimpse of Cravex watching them.

Turning his gaze back at the lunatic followers, he opened fire with a full burst of bolter fire spraying upwards into each of them, slicing through their cursed flesh. He began charging upwards, creating a blood bath on his way up, whilst still watching the Night Lord, now knowing that he would not leave this city until he met this foe in battle.

The chamber in his storm bolter clicked empty. With the barrels smoking heavily, he stopped to disconnect the weapon from his wrist, dropping it down the steps, followed by the wire that had been connected to the ammo pack placed on his back, with a clang that echoed. Now gripping his power sword in both hands, he charge up the remainder of the steps, swinging it from left to right, slicing through all that approached him.

A plasma blast shot down from the upper bridge, leading out of the hall, into Len Ruo's shoulder, knocking his empty flamer from his hands and forcing him to fall backwards down the stairs. Cracking his head on one of the steps, he managed to summersault back over to his feet, regaining his balance only to find he was surrounded by dozens of the Chaos followers who were all armed with clubs, axes, auto pistols and large blades. One of them lunged forwards, plunging a chain sword into his side, splitting through the ceramite of his dark blue armour and letting the razor blades rev up inside his stomach, cracking his ribs.

Falling back with the chain sword stuck in his side, Len Ruo fell backwards into the crowd behind him, and he knew that his death was going to be very painful indeed. Feeling more sharp objects penetrate his armour, followed by a powerful blow across the back of his bald head from something heavy, probably a club, he stumbled back from the many hands grabbing him and pulling him down. Len Ruo gritted his teeth through the pain of something sharp enter his neck and closed his eyes; all went dark for the last time in his life.

Cravex began climbing the ladder to the roof from his bridge once he'd seen Syakotus climb up to the far side of the bridge.

"Do not run from me, coward," bellowed Syakotus, who was now running across the bridge to catch up to him, swinging his power sword from side to side.

Cravex climbed up out of the giant hall of the power plant onto the metallic roof. The dawn had almost broken through the sky, gleaming down on to the city. From up here the flames of the burning buildings could be seen followed by the smoke filled clouds, drifting around the city with the grisly winds. Cravex walked away from the great hole on the ceiling, watching Lexor climb up the tall watchtower, looking over the entire city. He pulled his daemon sword from its scabbard, whilst still gripping the golden handle of this plasma pistol. He then turned to face Syakotus, who had now climbed up and out onto the roof himself.

Cravex squeezed his finger back over the plasma pistols trigger, yet nothing happened, "Damn, must be out. Oh well, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

Syakotus flexed his fingers around the handle of his power sword, "There is no place for you in the world of mortal men. I will take great pleasure in taking the life from you, betrayer of mankind."

Cravex lifted his sword out forwards, clenching both his hands around the trigger(?), "Oh, please. Do spare the speeches. It is you who will join your false Emperor in the grave."

Cravex slowly walked forwards towards Syakotus, swinging his daemon sword about as if mocking him, then stopped about several paces from where Syakotus stood. A slight grin raised on his white face.

"Prepare to hate me. This night will hurt you like never before," he said looking at the moving faces within his daemonic blade.

Both men stared into each others' eyes for a few moments and then simultaneously jumped forwards to do battle. Cravex moved swiftly, carrying his daemon-sword with a steady ease. He moved with a motion of quickness, making it harder for Syakotus to anticipate his next move, yet still blocking his attacks with eagerness.

Keeping up the prowess of his power sword, Syakotus matched each attack made by Cravex: advancing, stepping back then forward, taking a swipe with his blade. Both men moved across the roof doing battle as if they were dancing, neither causing an injury to the other. Back and forth they lunged, sparks flying from them both every time they would cross blades. Each was trying to make a striking cut, yet each keeping up the blocking stance at every attempt.

Cravex swung his daemon blade down, trying to cut into Syakotus's skull. Syakotus managed to jump to the right in time for Cravex's blow to miss by mere inches, then following suit, by using the same attack, Cravex moved slightly back with a swift motion to his actions, before bringing his blade about, at Syakotus's chest, but failing to slice through when Syakotus stepped back, swinging round lashing his power sword up at the face of Cravex, just missing with Cravex tilting himself back, then ducking down letting the chains around his waist clang loudly together, bringing his daemon sword across, in a quick reflex to make a lower cut, of which Syakotus anticipated, by leaping the wait of his body back (?).

Suddenly, in a momentarily slip of thought, Syakotus failed to block Cravex, who brought the daemon sword across, slicing deep into his left shoulder pad, cutting deep through his armour into the flesh. Blood seeped out in a splatter, then slid down the dark blue ceramite of his left arm, colouring it red before clotting. Cravex pulled back his daemon sword from Syakotus's shoulder only to make another swing. This time he aimed at Syakotus's face, failing to make a new cut. He watched Syakotus duck down with his quick reactions whilst blocking the attack by raising his power sword to match the strike at him. Syakotus grtted his teeth from the pain of his mortal shoulder wound.(?)

Cravex paused slightly in his next strike and saw from the expression of pain on Syakotus's face that he was starting to weaken.

"Your emotional expression fails you, Crimson Fist," sniggered Cravex. He moved from left to right, taunting his opponent, then made a swift and sudden forward lunge, violently stabbing his daemon sword into Syakotus's stomach. Blood spilled out onto the blade, dripping onto the floor and across his chest and legs. Cravex thrust the blade forwards again, causing more pain and damage, before retracting it back and letting Syakotus stagger forwards, thrust from his balance.

Licking the splashed blood from his lips, Cravex took full advantage of Syakotus's weakened state. He used his full strength to lunge his daemon blade into Syakotus's stomach again, making the wound far more mortal by twisting the blade inside his stomach. Using both his hands he ploughed the daemon sword further into Syakotus, the blade barely missed his spine, cutting out of his back.

"Guurrrrgh." The Captain's legs began weakening. Pulling the blade out, still clutching the handle with both hands, Cravex backed off to watch Syakotus stagger forwards, dropping to his knees, slamming his left hand at the floor, tilting his head forwards, spitting out the blood that had filled in his mouth.

Cravex raised his daemon blade above his head with both hands, "And now it ends," he taunted, bringing his daemon sword down to strike Syakotus across the back of his neck.

"I'm not out yet," he retorted, rolling over swiftly with all his weight while raising his power sword up straight through Cravex's chest. A large splash of dark blood spilled down across him and the ash covered floor in what Cravex thought would be his killing blow. The further Cravex had lunged forward using his weight, the further the power sword sliced into him. At that moment both men gazed into each others eyes, for Syakotus was watching the life drain from Cravex.

"Your over confidence fails you, Night Lord."

"Funn-y," Cravex muttered, spilling his dark blood from his lips.

"And so I believe the pleasure is all mine," Syakotus said, letting Cravex almost touch him before both men rolled and collapsed together onto the floor. Cravex was dead the moment he slammed into the ash covered floor, releasing his daemon sword from his grip. Overcome by his wounds, Syakotus slumped over on to his back and lay in a pool of his own blood. His wounds were fatal enough to take his life.

Gathering his thoughts he attempted to move, trying to sit upwards, looking at the dead corpse of Cravex who laid spread on his back with the power sword stuck firmly in his chest. Syakotus sat up and reached over for his power sword. Clenching his fingers around the handle, he began yanking it from Cravex. Once out, more of Cravex's blood spilled across the floor. Syakotus tried to stand. Looking up at the watch tower he saw another Night Lord watching him.

Lexor stood looking out from behind the smashed glass of the watch tower. His large dreadlocks swung about his face, from the grisly winds yet his body remained still in defiance. The Crimson Fist had slain his lord, making the rest of the Night Lords his to command, and for that he was pleased. This warrior had done what he'd being afraid to. But the Crimson Fist was still his enemy and it would make him weak to his followers if they thought he'd let him live.

Lexor raised his arm, clenching his fingers around the trigger of his bolt pistol. He pulled the trigger back, watching the first bolt shell thud straight through the Crimson Fist's ankle, creating a shower of blood. Again he fired his bolt pistol, aiming slightly higher. The bolt shell thudded into the Crimson Fist's arm that was clenching the power sword. Lexor watched the Crimson Fist release his grip, again he took another shot and this time he aimed for the face.

The bolt shell impacted into the Crimson Fists face, plummeting into his left eye. The Crimson Fist fell back down on his back. Lexor stopped firing from the sight of more Crimson Fists climbing out onto the roof.

The first thing that Korde saw was Lexor taking pot shots at his fallen Captain. Raising his combi-weapon up towards the watchtower, gliding his finger over the trigger, he let loose a burst of full-auto fire. Judson, Horten, Frieh followed suit, firing their bolters upwards towards the watch tower; the sound became somewhat deafening from the combined bolter fire.

Korde dashed over to Syakotus, dropping his combi to the ground, "NOOO!" he bellowed, dropping down to his knees, "Captain…stay with me."

Lexor ducked down from the continuous blockade of bolter fire that was trying to gun him down, fired by the angered Crimson Fists. Realising that he was not going to win this battle, he took his over sized power sword from its scabbard. Dashing over to the back of the watchtower he began cutting a hole large enough to escape through.

Korde looked up to the sky from the growling sound of the Salamander's Thunderhawks echoing through the skies The lead Thunderhawk started lowering its landing legs while it lowered for landing(?), blowing the ash from the roof, twirling up in the air.

Korde picked up the fallen body of Syakotus in both arms and began walking towards the Thunderhawk.

"Captain, stay with us. It is not your time to go yet," he said, walking across the roof towards the Thunderhawk, which had landed, with its ramp now lowering for them to board.

The only thing Cuoson could smell was the clotted blood that had filled up in his nostrils. Whilst(?) he stopped panting out deep breaths he could feel his innards slow, his once strong arms weakened drastically. Cuoson felt the weakness spread through his mortally wounded body, like a virus shutting down a computer system. Limb by limb he felt death reap him. His eyes widened at the face of a Night Lord standing over him. The Chaos Marine clenched a chain axe in one hand and a bolt pistol in the other. He towered over Cuoson, staring through the reds of his helmets eyes, which was moulded like the face of a giant bat with bat wings sprouting out on either side.

Cuoson looked up at the Chaos Marine. Using what strength he had left, he mustered a smile. The Night Lord bent down, putting his face straight in to Cuoson's.

"What are you smirking at? You have no weapon to defend yourself, and I am going to torture you before death takes you."

Cuoson smiled, "You…are wrong," he said, revealing the detonator clenched tightly in his hand.

Cuoson spat out the last of the clotted blood that filled up in his mouth and pressed his thumb over the detonator switch, then collapsed in a heap onto the floor before rolling over the edge of the void into the mouth of the volcano.

The Night Lord peered over the edge to see the beginning of the explosions from the detonation of the fixed explosives. The sound of the giant pipes placed over the centre and deep into the volcano's mouth echoed throughout the giant hall the moment they came crashing down. The tore the marble floor apart like shredding through paper, tossing the Night Lord upwards along with the other Chaos followers in a mass of compulsive explosions that started spreading throughout the whole complex. The sound became somewhat deafening, with the fire's turning into back drafts, shooting down into every corridor adjacent to the great hall. With the walls tearing themselves down, the cog wheels began spinning through the hall and flames like flying blades. They were cutting deep into the pipes, creating more explosions from the gas igniting with the open flames, tossing debris up and down as if creating its own tornado within.

The ground beneath their feet began ripping apart from the vibrations of the explosions down below, with the roof beginning to cave in on itself. Frieh stood over the edge looking down at the ball of fire that engulfed the whole power plant below.

"I think it's time we take our leave of this city," he said, stepping onto the ramp of the Salamander's Thunderhawk, followed by the others.

Korde was the last to step foot on the ramp, carrying his Captain. Once inside, the ramp closed up. Quornas stood from his seat to take the Captain from Korde's hands.

"He still breaths," Quornas said, looking into the saddened eyes of the all of Korde's squad.

Grailin stepped up close to Quornas and gently hovered his hand across Syakotus's forehead. "His aura is strong, I sense the Emperor is with him today."

The Salamander's Captain Volorie came from the cockpit to greet the Crimson Fists. Both Quornas and Korde placed Syakotus on the floor of the vibrating Thunderhawk. It was battling for control of the sky, trying to escape the grip of explosive winds it had being caught up in.

"So this is your Captain?" Volorie asked in his deep tone.

"It is," Korde answered, wiping the soot from his face.

"Then I'm honoured to meet him. If we survive this rain of explosions we will get him to your apothecaries."

The Thunderhawks managed to escape the grip from the black smoke with the growling engines drowned out from the loader explosions. The power plant behind them imploded in on itself with a loud roar moments later. The turbulence rocked the Thunderhawk violently, the pilots battled for control from the rocking and rattling against the hull. One of the other Thunderhawks became engulfed by the dark clouds spreading across the sky, covering the new daylight over like a blanket. Darkness once again claimed the city of Volcane.

The smell of sulphur filled the air, choking hundreds of the Chaos followers, cultists and even the Chaos Space Marine Night Lords. The atmosphere became so un-breathable that it began killing those on the ground who were advancing towards the bridge. It was followed by the violence of the ground shaking, tearing itself apart then crumbling into fountains of rubble followed by the toppling of the buildings that still stood from the Night Lord's invasion.

The sky filled up with black smoke, and then followed by an even louder explosion. The volcano erupted in a roar of more dark grey clouds, forming a giant mushroom before falling back down, setting the scene as if it were snowing. The explosions took mere seconds to spread through the city in all directions. The Night Lords were brought to a stand still, moments before they were tossed up high into the city, killing most of them instantly whilst the flames spread through the streets, ripping the tanks open before the strong violent winds picked them up, throwing them into the last of the buildings.(?) All traces of the sky became covered by darkness, the magma blew twenty five cubic kilometres, carried away with the ash, floating down like snow covering everywhere in a grey ash. The magnetic explosions began bringing everything electrical to a stand still, including the last Thunderhawk that had been trying hard to battle the winds. The Salamander Space Marines sat in its cockpit watched the winds carry them to their deaths, smashing the Thunderhawk into the streets below in a ball of explosions.

Lieutenant Tyde stood on top of one of the Leman Russ battle tanks, watching the cliffs of Volcane crumble into large balls of rock, then slam into the violently rocking water below. He watched the dark cloud cover Volcane in a blanket of flames and grey ash, floating across the river, trying to set like a layer of snow. His Cadian Guardsmen stood watching the bridge rock side to side It was creaking with every motion before the centre gave way and cracked, snapping the bridge into two, like a twig, then falling apart and crumbling into the thrashing waves of the river.

Tyde opened his eyes wide at the mere sight of the circularised explosions heading towards him and his guardsmen. Knowing that this was it, this was his end, he turned his back to the fast approaching cloud, closing his eyes the moment if engulfed him and his men. Seconds later the flames followed.

Quornas, Korde and Captain Volorie stood behind the pilots in the cockpit of the Thunderhawk, watching the last of the Salamander's Thunderhawks try to catch up to them.

Chapter 7

The pilots of the last Thunderhawk ran their fingers across the consoles, desperately trying to battle for control amid the turbulence that was rocking them about. The cockpit window cracked then shattered in a shower of broken fragments, covering the pilot and co-pilot in glass, dancing off their armour and splitting into their bare faces. Both Marines lost control of the Thunderhawk, protecting their eyes and faces, using their arms to shield them from the glass shower. Smoke now filled the cockpit, forcing the vessel down, crashing violently into the ground, tearing up the soil, before rolling upwards then back down into a ball of flames over the ground were Lieutenant Tyde and his men once stood.

Syakotus stood alone in the darkness that surrounded him, watching the glowing sphere as it lit up the corners of the walls. Slowly, Syakotus walked towards the sphere with both his hands firmly gripping the long handle of his Power Sword. A slight humming buzzed from the sword whilst Syakotus held it forwards towards the glowing green sphere. "Why do you taunt me>" he said out loud.

Taunt you? I do not taunt you.

"What are you? Who are you?" Syakotus asked, while slowly approaching the sphere.

You know what I am. You know who I am.

Syakotus raised his Power Sword and began to lunge the blade towards the sphere. Suddenly, the blade was gone. With the shock of the sword disappearing from his tight grip Syakotus fell forwards, placing his left hand on the glowing sphere. He looked down on his armour as he began to glow green with the sphere.

Come to me.

Quornas stood from the bridge of the Caislean Oir, watching the stars turn into long streams of white arrows. Covered in a shadow of darkness, hiding out most of his features, yet still revealing his face, old as it was, his eyes stared into the night that surrounded them. A light from the doorway behind him shone across the black metal of his armour as it opened, with Apothecary Lenthos stepping onto the bridge. His armour was shiny white, yet both his fists retained the Crimson colour of the chapter.

Quornas turned to face the Apothecary, looking him square on in the face. "Well?" he asked.

Lenthos bowed before speaking. "He will live."

"But?"

"His left eye will have to be replaced, as will that(?) of his right arm. The wounds were to grave for his mortal flesh to heal them. His other wounds still need serious amounts of treatment. But he will live."

"Of all our loses today, at least our Captain will not be one of them." murmured Quornas.

"Who will lead the fifth company in his absence?" Lenthos asked.

"Sergeant Korde will; he is the senior Sergeant."

Quornas turned back to stare at the stars. "When Chapter Master Pedro Kantor hears of his deeds today - the deed of bringing down the city of Volcane and a Chaos Lord himself - he will be honoured." (?)

Deep in the medical bay of the Caislean Oir stood Grailin, watching over the unconscious body of Syakotus. The Captain lay on a medical bed hooked up to wires running in his left eye socket, and into his right shoulder where his right arm once was. The medical bay was covered in a blanket of darkness with only the red dots from the life support consol at Syakotus's side. Grailin leaned forwards, his eyes glowing a dim yellow through the dark shadows. He watched his Captain and the bio-reader monitor hooked up to his head, which read his brain activity. The reader was bleeping erratically as though something else was inside Syakotus's body. Grailin placed his left hand palm-down on Syakotus's forehead.

"Strange, you appear to be dreaming. Hmmm, Astartes do not dream." Grailin muttered to himself. Slowly he hovered his hand over Syakotus's face and back to his forehead.

"I sense evil…"