Seraphs of the Emperor’s Judgment

Chapter 11: Mission

"Soshyan!"

Working hard together with his Battle Brothers to eliminate the last handful of mobile Necrons, Soshyan, upon hearing his Company Commander's voice, immediately turned his head. He saw Everich walking toward him. His left arm had been chopped off from the elbow, and the severed end was still emitting wisps of smoke.

But this did not in the slightest affect the Company Commander's resolute expression, as if this wound had not appeared on his own body.

"Why are you here?"

"Our Drop Pod encountered enemy firepower during descent, deviating slightly off course, but fortunately—"

"This is truly terrible."

Yet Everich frowned and interrupted his words.

"You should be by the side of Chapter Master Amulad right now, not here."

"Company Commander, I do not understand."

Soshyan sensed that something was amiss. The doubts he had prior to entering the Drop Pod once again surfaced from the depths of his heart. Many things had not been quite normal from the very beginning.However, Everich clearly had no intention of explaining. He glanced at their surroundings, and then loudly called out:

"7th Company! Assemble!"

Having finished taking care of the Necrons within the mausoleum, the warriors gathered around. There were a total of fifty-three people, including a Chaplain. This was every living person remaining in the 7th Company, and the vast majority among them bore wounds.

"We must completely destroy this node and prevent the Necrons from repairing it."

As Everich spoke, he looked toward a warrior wearing a red and white helmet. That was his Adjutant.

"Are the Melta Bombs prepared?"

"Yes, Company Commander."

At this moment, that ominous sound of grinding metal rang out from the southern entrance of the mausoleum, as if countless pairs of iron boots were trampling across the floor. Without even needing to look, Soshyan knew the enemy's main forces had arrived. Evidently, their masters were unwilling to give up this important energy node.

The 7th Company Commander looked toward that entrance, then turned to look to his left, precisely meeting Soshyan's resilient gaze.

He took a deep breath and continued speaking:

"You are the final fifty-three individuals of the 7th Company. Upon your shoulders is borne all the honor of the company. Perhaps I have not fought for that long of a time, but I have already sworn to bear witness to all of this! The 7th Company has fought bitterly until now, and we will continue to fight bitterly until all of this comes to an end. A final battle to end the Necron nightmare, a final battle to fulfill our duty and defend the honor of the Chapter!"

At this time, the Chaplain clad in black armor also stepped forward and loudly stated with a stern voice:

"Then what are your intentions? Will you join me in pleading with the souls of our fallen compatriots, pleading for them to lend us a hand in the impending battle and stir up our will to fight? All of you!"

In an instant, all the Astartes turned to face the Chaplain, resting on one knee upon the hard, rocky floor, and Soshyan did the same.

Some people were slow in their movements, an effect born of the wounds upon their bodies, but not a single person hesitated.

The Chaplain stood before them, raising the Crozius Arcanum high in his hands, and watched the people follow his movements.

"In the name of His Most Exalted Majesty, the Divine Emperor, we beg of Thee."

"Long live our Emperor!"

The crowd responded in unison.

"For the honor of the Emperor and the tireless devotion of His defenders, we beg of Thee."

"Long live our Emperor!"

"To those who offered their lives, to those who exchanged immortal eternal torment for our continued existence, we implore Thee, recall the spirits from the deaths of our brothers, and take them back to Thy side!"

"Even death shall not defeat their names!"

The Angels of Death replied with a single voice.

By this time, those stumbling mechanical nightmares also emerged once more from the darkness of the passage. Icy green flames burned within their hollow eye sockets. The Gauss Flayers in their hands were held level before their chests. Just like toy soldiers neatly arranged, marching in perfect lockstep without a sliver of deviance, they walked toward the living creatures gathered within the mausoleum.

"Prepare for battle! You few, go plant the Melta Bombs!"

The soldiers of the company began to take their respective positions. Just as Soshyan picked up his gun, preparing to find his own position, the Company Commander appeared before him, handing his own sword and a helmet to Soshyan.

"Take this. Take your squad, leave here, and go to the Chapter Master's side. If you head in that direction, you should be able to run into them."

His voice was not loud, yet it carried unquestionable authority.

"This is an order."

As if he knew what Soshyan's next sentence would be, he added another sentence, then turned around to walk toward the Chaplain.

"Company Commander—"

Soshyan reached out his hand and called out. Everich paused his footsteps, but did not turn his head.

"I will be right back, no matter what."

Finished speaking, he put on the helmet, turned around to assemble his five remaining squad members, and walked toward the direction Everich had pointed out previously.

Having arrived by the Chaplain's side, Everich turned his head, watching Soshyan's figure vanish into the shadows of the passage, and stated in a low voice:

"May the Emperor protect him."

"And may the Emperor have mercy upon us."

The Chaplain's words drew a bitter smile at the corner of Everich's mouth. He unhooked the Bolter secured to his thigh and arrived behind cover. By this time, the Necrons had already begun firing. The surging disintegrator beams struck down like raindrops upon the area the Astartes were stubbornly defending.

Boom————!

Accompanied by a massive, mausoleum-shaking roar, the energy node supplying an entire sector was instantly severed. Darkness immediately enveloped the surroundings.

"For the Emperor!!!!"

With a furious roar, Everich fired the first shot at the enemy.

The other Astartes subsequently unleashed their fury as well. The muzzle flashes of Bolters instantly became specks of guiding light within the darkness, while the beams of light fired by the Necrons were like ghost fires within a tomb. The two intertwined together, continuously accompanied by the sounds of heavy objects falling to the ground.

"Why?"

Hearing the sounds of gunfire behind them, Axel looked back, then walked taking quick steps to arrive by Soshyan's side.

"You have already asked four times."

"I don't understand."

"This is an order. There is no need to understand."

"Soshyan!"

Axel grabbed the other party's arm, and the entire squad immediately came to a halt.

"We are not cowards!"

Everyone's gaze focused upon him. Although Soshyan wasn't wearing his helmet, his expressionless face did not differentiate itself in the slightest from a helmet.

"No one said you are a coward."

"Then we should go fight! To die together with our other brothers! Not... run away!"

"I will repeat it one more time. This is not running away, this is an order. The Company Commander's order."

"Why? What sort of mission requires only these few of us? We are not veterans, nor are we Terminators."

"Mind your words, Axel."

After giving the other party a glare, Soshyan pulled his arm out from the other party's palm, and then continued walking forward.

"Admittedly, we are not veterans, nor are we Terminators, but we are still Astartes, the Emperor's champions, the extension of His eternal will. I hope you can properly face your own value."

Faced with Soshyan's speech, Axel was instantly dumbstruck. He took a glance at the others, but after pausing for a moment, they followed in Soshyan's footsteps.

"Alright then, let us hope this mission is worth it."

Shaking his head, Axel quickly walked to catch up, whereas the sounds of gunfire from behind them also gradually grew faint with distance...

(End of Chapter)