This story is an unofficial story based, without permission, on the Warhammer/Warhammer 40,000 intellectual property owned by Games Workshop Ltd.
Defestus Reinen roared in anger, ripping the Imperial sergeant's arm off. Reaching forward, he then cracked the man's skull in a powerful fist. Defestus never was a merciful man, even before his turn to Chaos. As a Terminator Lord, he had no room for mercy. He had not always been a Lord of Chaos.
He had started as a serf aboard a Fenrisian Strike Cruiser. His rise began when he started a riot among the crew members, leading them in an attack to the armoury, where they swapped spanners and worksuits for Bolters and Power armour. As ringleader, Defestus Reinen was spared the Terminator armour, which was in for repairs. After a long battle onboard, Defestus and his men broke into the bridge, at which point they captured the Navigator and commandeered the ship. In fear of Imperial intervention, He made a jump to the Eye of Terror, where he was spotted by Huron Blackheart, who offered a position in his fleet. Captain Defestus Reinen obliged and was included in the battle of Parenxes, at which he had announced the formation of the Blood Reavers, his own pirate warband. Intersted, Huron offered his support in return for a fair share of loot and ships and a portion of command. Thinking it unwise to decline a man of such power, Defestus agreed, forming a mighty bond.
Things had certainly moved on. After their formation, the Blood Reavers had allied with the Black Legion, vowing to join the 14h Crusade. To prove this, they had launched numerous excursions around Fenris and Hydraphur. In 25 years, they had captured 20 ships and the space hulk Terminatus after their roots among the Terminator company's inheritor's. This almighty craft holds the might of 4000 Space Marines, all clones of previous men. Now they were on Cadia, and after establishing a blockade over a 4-mile wide sector, dropped a total of 900 men, mostly gene-replication failures. Their target was a spacedock, housing two Imperial frigates, and 4500 tons of Power Armour, Bolters, Bolter Shells, and armoured vehicles.
Defestus' forces had claimed the fuel depot on their first assault, slaughtering the garrison. "Men of Chaos, this is a great victory for us, and you will no doubt be rewarded by Khorne and Tzeentch for your bravery. This scum is unworthy for our blade, but we must humour them" he cried, throwing the sergeant's corpse at the wall, impacting with a sickening crunch. Cutting power to his almighty Chainfist Ripper, he walked over to the shattered bastion which fronted the tiny bunker. Already his autosenses were adjusting to the shattering of ceramite under tank tracks. That surprise was dealt with swiftly upon arrival, and not even a single Ultramarine had survived to collect the gene-seed of his battle-brothers. As his loyal Terminator bodyguard followed him to the Thunderhawk, the Terminator Lord heard a strange sound over the din of the war engines and clanging ceramite. It sounded like an earthquake, but regular and even, like footsteps.
Hobar Klaw, an Imperial Commander of the 42nd Cadian. While not exactly famed, the Regiment had earned a fair reputation for it's awesome ties with the Adeptus Mechanicus, and its frequent use of Emperor-Class Battle Titans instead of Warlord and Reaver classes. They had brought 4 with them back from a posting near Holy Terra, much to the amazement of Hobar's Priest. At his command, he had 15 Imperial Guard divisions, plus two Leman Russ Platoons, 50 Rhinos and 4 Baneblades. He had 9 divisions of Sentinels and 40 Ratlings on the way from Mordian. All this was puny compared to the divine intervention he had discovered. All 200 Imperial Fists, and their Dreadnoughts.
Defestus Reinen was angry. How could these Imperial dogs muster such force so quickly? He had been pinned in this bunker for two hours, only able to wait for his attacker to show himself. What he did not see was a slender woman creep through a hatch in the roof. But he was not deaf, and even as the woman drew a knife, he whirled round catching her hand, while lifting her up above his head. Even as she screamed, he threw her to one of his men. "A sacrifice to Slaanesh I think. The God of Pleasure," he laughed. Beckoning his most loyal bodyguard, he whispered, "I want you to put your arm through that hatch, and fire a Bolter through 360 degrees. We'll see how many rodents survive." Then, addressing his hordes through the comm net, he said, "Now, my brothers, let us claim skulls for the Skull Throne of Khorne, subjects for Tzeentch, hosts for Nurgle and sacrifices for Slaanesh!". Even as he spoke, his Dreadnoughts charged in frenzied reply, followed by the Marines, Lesser Daemons, a Defiler, the mighty Obliterarors and Khorne Berzerkers, all covered by the squads of Havocs. He followed suit, crying gutturally at his enemies. "For Chaos!"
Commander Klaw was utterly dumbfounded by the boldness of the Chaos assault. His entire left flank was swept away instantly, and even the legendary Kasrkin were slaughtered, leaving the Space Marine's flank open. The Titans were on the right flank, and it was to be two days before they arrived at the new front. Another setback was that Huron Blackheart's fleet was dropping reinforcements, while bombarding his rearguard. two regiments of Imperial Guard were only a day out. As far as Hobar was concerned, this was none too late.
Defestus laughed out loud. The Imperial scum was faltering, and Huron's swift arrival had struck blood rage into his men, and the Khorne Berzerkers were hard to contain. If possible, he could build their rage for two more days, then let them loose. Walking through the debris of the battle, Defestus saw a large leather bound tome. Picking it up, he saw the last entry. He bellowed in rage. "Sergeant, ready your men! We strike in the morning! All forces and no quarter!". Defestus threw the tome into a blazing tank. As the paper crinkled, the sergeant caught the last sentence in the tome. "The Iron Fists are here."
Brother Lantian of the Iron Fists offered a up prayer to the Machine God and the All-Father, just as a Lascannon blew a chunk out of the rockrete behind him. Even as he recovered, the Khorne Berzerkers leapt forward once more. Chainaxes twirling, they flew towards the Iron Fists too fast for return fire. Steeling himself, Brother Jantian swung his chainsword, decapitating a Berzerker, before slashing another from shoulder to hip. Twirling around, he slaughtered 4 more, turning into a bladed cyclone. However, even as cut his way through the servants of Khorne, he realised the cover fire had stopped. He paused to contemplate what this meant. That was his mistake. A Chaos Dreadnought roared out of the mist ripping his arms off, before severing his legs. In a grimoire finale, the Dreadnought raked his head with its claws, ending his life instantly. Which was probably best because what semmed like hundreds of Terminators marched out of the mist next, followed by every single Chaos unit in the sector. Including their secret weapons.
Defestus laughed, picking at the corpse of an Iron Fist. "What a shame. Did we really have to kill all of them? I would have liked a pet. But I guess you can't have everything."
"Oh, but you can. It is just a matter of perception." said a strong sleeky voice.
"Too right, Malador" said another, similar voice.
"Well you two are sorcerers. Of course you agree, Nazar," retorted Defestus. They had caused no end of trouble since arrival. and had yet to summon the Daemon Army. There was also the question of the Warlord Titans from Mortalis, which they had apparently possesed. These were the weapons with which he could win the war.
The war was not going well. Klaw's forces were spread thin, and the Inquisition had 'cleansed' his best commander, under suspicion of heretical conduct. This, coupled with the arrival of Chaos Sorcerers, created havoc. His troops were turning on each other, denouncing their vows to the Emperor and joining the Chaos Force. And only an hour ago, Chaos troops broke the line and enveloped over half of his forces. Only a company of Grey Knights held the enemy from his camp, and he could here even now the echoes of gunfire. Pulling on his wargear, he ran out of the tent, crying "All servants of the Emperor, join me and make a final stand at the spacedock. Bring any weapons and ammunition that you can carry!" But even as he said this, a Chaos Marine hurtled towards him. Firing his twin-linked bolter, Hobar threw himself at the Marine. Wounded by the bolters, the traitor fell to Hobars Lightning Claws. Standing up, the commander spat on the corpse, before running to his Rhino APC, already occupied by his bodyguard.
The Guardsman cowered in the shadow of Defestus. "Where are the rest of your kind?" he roared. All he got back was a whimper. Reaching down, the Terminator Lord crushed the man's chest, before tossing him to a pack of Daemonic Hounds. Laughing, Defestus walked to his Land Raider, which followed in the wake of a Warlord-Class Titan, which in turn followed a mass of twisted, misshapen bodies. The Daemon Army was led by a Daemon Prince of Tzeentch and his retinue of Possesed Space Marines.
The efficiency of this army was shown in the assault on Florinus Spacedock, but it was soon destroyed by Psykers.
To find out the outcome of this momentous battle, look out for Hidden Threat.
Hive World Terra