Seraphs of the Emperor’s Judgment

Chapter 45: Duel

"What's wrong? Lapdog of the False Emperor, afraid of a little blood?"

Morinit gave Soshyan a cruel, razor-sharp smile. They stood at the center of the battlefield. The roars and booming of weapons from the earlier fighting had faded away; now, all that remained around them were stiffening corpses and the heartbeats of the observing soldiers.

The Bloodbronze Claws warband was finished. Morinit held no illusions about that anymore. But if he could behead this lapdog of the False Emperor standing before him—someone who had to be a Company Commander or even higher—then he would offer up one final feast to the Blood God.

Through their brief clash just now, he had already confirmed that the force ambushing them was a bunch of greenhorns. Had they been veterans, they likely would have wiped out everyone in the Bloodbronze Claws warband with zero casualties.

However, their numbers had been simply too few; even a bunch of greenhorns was enough.

The unnatural air inside the starport amplified the silent cacophony, as if even the surrounding wind was engaging in slaughter and dying alongside them.

Soshyan did not answer, merely staring at his opponent, as motionless as a statue.

Morinit even felt a twinge of doubt as to whether his opponent was already dead, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He could feel the faint vibrations emanating from the other's armor and taste the acrid exhaust venting from his power pack.

He could hear the unexpectedly calm heartbeat of the massive warrior, along with faint sounds drifting from beneath the faceplate of the Mark-series helmet.

No, not dead. Just sporting a bad attitude.Morinit tore a skull from his waist and hurled it straight at Soshyan.

The other's hand flashed like lightning, catching the skull just before it smashed into his face. His only response was to crush the pale bone in his grip, then open his fist, letting the splintered fragments rain from between his fingers.

"Heh."

Morinit barked out a laugh that sounded more like a hound.

"That's more like it. I thought you were ignoring me on purpose."

Subsequently, Soshyan's voice transmitted through his helmet's vox-caster, carrying a low, deep cadence.

"Traitor."

Morinit tilted his head. Compared to the many Astartes he had encountered, this opponent's voice could be considered soft. Whenever those other bastards ran into them, they were either cursing violently or seething with rage. It was exceedingly rare to hear one speak so calmly.

Soshyan locked eyes with the son of Angron, his gaze sweeping over the embossed reliefs upon the crimson ceramite. The scenes he had witnessed aboard the 'New Pharos' flashed through his mind.

The numbers on his core temperature auspex began to plummet in a straight line, but Soshyan didn't feel a trace of chill. Only an icy wrath boiled within his heart.

"Don't you guys ever use any other words?"

Morinit whistled.

"Look at what the Imperium has molded you into? A bunch of blockheads, the kind who don't even know how to speak properly."

Soshyan pointed his longsword at the World Eater.

"At least we don't turn our blades against our own blood-brothers. What happened on Isstvan III will be your eternal shame."

To understand the history of the Legions, Soshyan often spent entire days in the librarium archives. In particular, he had delved into the history and secrets of the Great Crusade era.

Morinit clenched his fists. The other's words pierced into his brain like venomous barbs. He could feel the surrounding light growing dim, while the voices in his head gradually amplified, wailing like a raucous swarm of locusts.

He had to kill this loose-lipped bastard, and he had to do it right now.

"Exactly."

The World Eater let out a breath that sounded neither like a low chuckle nor a hiss. Then, a harsh, fury-filled voice emanated from his helmet.

Pressing a rune on the axe's haft, life breathed into the weapon. The motor spat black smoke, and two staggered rows of monomolecular teeth began to chew the air, every aspect of its design built for the more efficient dismemberment of flesh and blood.

"Celebrate your final moments, and then let the hounds of the Blood God gnaw on your soul for the rest of eternity."

"All traitors will die in disgrace."

The two began to circle each other. Taking wide strides, Morinit swung his battle axe casually before him, his eyes observing every detail of Soshyan.

This bastard had steady footwork. The angle of his body, his breathing, and his reactions all belonged to an elite veteran.

Even before their blades crossed, Morinit knew his opponent was highly skilled, as well as calm and calculating. The fact that he hadn't rashly launched an attack in response to his casual bait made Morinit seriously doubt if this guy was truly a greenhorn at all.

That thought lasted for no more than a single heartbeat.

The World Eater roared from the depths of his chest, raising his axe over his shoulder to hack down at Soshyan.

"Blood for the Blood God!!!!!!"

Soshyan took a step back, batting the axe haft aside with the flat of his blade, while side-stepping the shrieking teeth.

But Morinit was truly a veteran of a hundred battles. Highly experienced, he struck back with a backhand blow, smashing the chainaxe against Soshyan's blade. The Astral Knight immediately felt a shuddering impact travel up his shoulder, and the sword in his hand was nearly knocked flying.

Soshyan put distance between them again, but the World Eater had no intention of giving him any openings. Pressing the attack relentlessly, he unleashed a flurry of sweeps and brutal downward chops that suppressed Soshyan.

The Chapter Master of the Astral Knights ducked left and dodged right, only raising his sword to parry when absolutely necessary. After every clash, more metal shrapnel and shattered axe-teeth scattered around them.

Morinit's strategy was simple: break Soshyan's weapon first, then break Soshyan himself.

In a direct clash of force between axe and sword, the latter was bound to lose out.

"Hngya!"

A slashing strike aimed at Soshyan's throat knocked him back a step. He hurriedly tried to force his opponent back with his sword, but instead of retreating, the World Eater charged forward with a punch, forcing Soshyan to twist his body to evade.

However, his sword still thrust forward, the point striking the World Eater's crown. Amidst a shower of sparks, it sliced off the dark bronze emblem of the Blood God.

Retracting his sword, Soshyan slashed again at his opponent's neck armor. The World Eater's battle axe instantly swatted it away. Roaring in fury, he swung his axe toward Soshyan's abdominal cavity.

By this point, Soshyan's body temperature had plummeted to twenty degrees Celsius. Not only had his movements not stiffened, but they had also become increasingly faster. Beneath his faceplate, grey veins crawled across his face; if his helmet were to be removed now, the sight would undoubtedly be terrifying.

Soshyan held his breath and angled his blade, letting the jagged teeth and the sharp edge grind against each other.

Subsequently, the two duelists were bathed in sparks as their weapons bit tightly into one another.

Suddenly, Morinit unleashed a headbutt, knocking Soshyan off balance. He barely managed to dodge a downward chop aimed squarely at his head.

He swung his sword back toward his opponent's neck, but it was blocked by the World Eater's gauntlet. Morinit parried the blade and shoved Soshyan away.

Revving his chainaxe, the World Eater's previously calm facade evaporated. He lost himself to the song of the Butcher's Nails, the cerebral implants using agony to push him ever deeper into berserker rage.

"Kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill!!!!!!! "

Soshyan could see the spasms and tremors had spread across the World Eater's entire body. The haft of the chainaxe groaned, the force of the World Eater's grip even leaving dents in the plasteel.

Fury eclipsed his mind, drowning everything else beneath a tide of bloodlust.

Soshyan charged forward as well, his blade moving so fast the eye could scarcely follow.

His longsword slashed and thrusted, while the World Eater swung his battle axe in a frenzied dance.

The two sides clashed once more with immense ferocity and vicious movements, leaving the surrounding recruits utterly dumbfounded.

Ultimately, everything concluded with the longsword biting into the World Eater's armor, gleaming with a diamond-like radiance.

As the disruption field chewed through the ceramite and plasteel, sparks danced wildly, instantly illuminating the duel.