Welcome back to the Warhammer 40,000 lore series, where we delve knee-deep into the visceral, chaotic universe of our favourite space-fantasy saga. In today’s installment, we’ll lead you through a thrilling battle that takes place amidst the wreckage of a bombarded ship, the relentless onslaught of treachery and madness, and the relentless resilience of the Death Guard.
Picture this: trusted officer Typhus, shrouded in his retinue of mighty Terminators, striding forward on the energy signatures of a recently bombarded ship. Expecting to find Fabius with the coveted Relic, they are instead met with a cunning trap — a powerful bomb and throngs of half-mad clone slaves. The explosion obliterates their barge, showering the entrenched Plague Marines with a deadly hail.
Yet, before the last echoes of the explosion can fade, pandemonium erupts over the Vox net — their fleet is under attack! Stealthily, four Black Ships of the Shriven had infiltrated their ranks in the space's obsidian darkness, emerging amidst the unsuspecting Plague Fleet. The void is instantly illuminated with the fires of emitters and reflections of explosions on the hulls of the battle barges. Debris and lamentations fill the skies of Ixus, causing heavy damage to the Moribond, Feculent Gift, and Rancid Blade.
On the planet's surface, the barges of the Penitent surge forward, carrying Fabius, Argento, Coran, and their followers. Shielded by the psychic might of the Terata, Fabius' forces launch a calculated attack on the Death Guard. The air fills with the roar of Bolter volleys and heavy artillery, decimating ranks of Terata and shooting down Transporters and Dread claws.
As enemies clash in close combat, the roar of Bolters and Chainswords merge into a single cacophony of slaughter. From a safe distance, Fabius watches his puppet, Coran, orchestrate the battle, sending wave after wave of Terata into the meat grinder of the enemy. The Plague Marines stand resolute, using the huge shards of an exploded ship as barricades, showing perseverance and resilience that only the Death Guard can muster.
Unexpectedly, plagues of demon flies burst forth from the depths of the burning barge. Typhus and his Terminators return to the battlefield, rallying demon engines around them, and counter-attacking Fabius' modified warriors. The Death Guard's resolve stands unbroken as waves of mutants and clones crash against them. Typhus contacts the fleet, learning their initiative has been seized and orders support for the damaged ships.
Meanwhile, Fabius finds himself cornered between the strike zone of the Plague Fleet and the advancing units of Typhus. Reinforcements of the Death Guard land from the north, southwest, and southeast, pouring out crowds of plague zombies. Fabius' trap has turned against him, and he, along with Coran and a few surviving Terata, are forced to make a desperate dash through the mud and groaning plague zombies to an evacuation point.
Every step towards the evacuation zone is paid for in lives, the dead clawing at their armour, dragging them into the swamp. With Coran's psychic fire and the Black Legionaries' flamethrowers, they manage to keep the horde at bay, reaching the evacuation zone where the Shriven have organized a defense. The shuttle launches, leaving behind the marines who failed to escape, their flames scorching the advancing dead.
Typhus bitterly watches as the Shriven's transports disappear into the grey sky. Fabius has evaded retribution and taken the Arc Cornuc Contagious with him. But the bitterest pill to swallow is the realization that he had fallen into the Spider's trap, his forces suffering immense damage. With the help of a summoned sorcerer slave, Typhus reaches out to Plague Captain Spus, who is...
Stay tuned for the next part of this thrilling series, where we'll pick up from this cliffhanger and continue our nerve-wracking journey through the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
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