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and
immovable。
Leonid dropped into the Chimera's crew compartment and slammed the rear ramp release lever； yelling； 'Everybody out！ Go！ Go！
Go！'
His command squad needed no prompting。 To stay in the Chimera was to die。 Leonid hustled his men down the ramp before
following them into the confusion of the battle。 He had barely cleared the ramp when a missile ripped through the side of the
Chimera。 With the rear ramp open； much of the force of the explosion was vented outwards； but still the tank was lifted into the
air by the blast。 Leonid staggered； feeling as though a giant fist had swatted him to the ground。 He spat dirt； a terrific ringing in his
ears。 He turned to see Ellard； his sergeant； yelling at him； but he couldn't make out the words。 The sergeant pointed towards the
enemy trench line and Leonid nodded； hauling himself to his feet。
He saw Trooper Corde dragging a body； its sky blue jacket splattered red。 He shouted； but realised he stood little chance of being
heard over the roar of explosions and gunfire。
Confusion reigned supreme as he saw scores of tanks and Chimeras belching noxious black smoke。 A hand grabbed his shoulder
and he turned as Sergeant Ellard handed him his rifle。 The sergeant had already fixed the bayonet for him and Leonid nodded his
thanks。
Bodies lay everywhere。 On tanks。 On the ground。 Blood； fire； noise and screams。
All he could smell was smoke； burning oil and flesh。
Another vehicle exploded and he dropped to the ground； losing his grip on his rifle as red hot fragments scythed overhead； pinging
on the side of another tank。
Dim snatches of desperate shouts came to him。 Shouted questions that made no sense。 Calls for support； medics and extraction。
Soldiers lay all around in the oil…slick dust firing their rifles at the trench line。 Without conscious thought； he grabbed his rifle
from the ground； shouldered it and began firing until the charge counter read empty。
He removed the empty power cell and slammed in a fresh one。 It took him two attempts； his hands were shaking so much。
All around him； surviving tanks fired their main guns whilst their drivers desperately zigzagged in an attempt to evade the enemy
fire。 Some succeeded and began returning fire against the traitors。 Those that did not were quickly isolated and blown apart。
Leonid slithered across to Sergeant Ellard； who handed him a vox…unit as he ripped off his helmet and put the handset to his
mouth。
'Princeps Fierach？ We need a fire mission now！ Come in please！ Where are you？'
The vox hissed and spat static at Leonid as he continued to call for help。 'Princeps Fierach； anybody； come in； damn it！
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
Acknowledge please！'
Garbled voices and more static were his only reply； and he threw down the handset in disgust。
'Colonel！' screamed Ellard； 'What's happening？ Where the hell's our Titan support？'
Leonid scooped up his helmet； pushed it on and said； 'Damned if I know； sergeant。'
Another explosion rocked the earth close by。 'Sound off！' Leonid shouted； 'Who's missing？'
Corde yelled； 'Commissar Pasken and Lieutenant Ballis are dead and Lonov is wounded。 I doubt he'll make it。'
Leonid nodded stoically and flinched as another vehicle exploded nearby。 The squad was in bad shape； their faces blackened and
terrified。 For many of them； it was their first real taste of hard combat and he knew that one of two emotions would win out here：
fear or courage。
In the first heat of battle an infantryman would be plunged into a flash flood of emotions。 Terror； anger； guilt and hate。 All the
feelings that boiled to the surface when confronted with the prospect of dying or killing another human being。 In the right
combination they would carry a man forwards to the enemy； as a fearsome； merciless killer。 But equally they could send him
fleeing in terror back to his own lines。 Some men were born with the right combination； others needed it hammered into them。
It was his job to make sure he got the best out of his men and he knew that they were close to going either way。 He'd have to push
them to get the fires of anger burning in their hearts。 To stay here would drain their courage to the point that not even the threat of
a commissar would get them moving。
He scrambled to the edge of their shelter and ducked his head around the gutted Chimera； trying to get a feel for the situation。
By the Emperor； it was bad！ The sky blazed red and black as scores of tanks burned fiercely and countless bodies littered the
bloody ground。 Heavy weapons fire was sporadic now as the drivers whose vehicles had escaped the initial slaughter took refuge
behind their wrecked comrades。 They were trapped； realised Leonid。
What the hell had happened to the Titans？
'CYCLE THE AUTO LOADERS！' yelled Princeps Fierach； 'and get those void shields back up！'
The Imperator Bellum was closing the gap between it and the Dies Irae； but it had taken a punishing barrage from the leviathan's
hellstorm cannon。 From a distance the massive barrels appeared to be turning at a leisurely tempo； but the rate of fire was
deceptive and explosive shells had almost stripped them of their protective void shields in a single volley。
'Moderati Setanto； charge the plasma generators！ Prepare to fire plasma cannon！'
'Yes； princeps！' replied the weapons officer。
Fierach knew that if they were to defeat this monster they had to quickly knock down the Dies Irae's shields or close with it and
take it down in close quarter battle。 Neither prospect promised to be easy。
Fierach saw the Honoris Causa rock under a volley of gunfire from the enemy Titan； the enormous machine reeling under the
ferocious impacts。 The Warlord staggered； one massive foot slamming down on the salient of the enemy trench system； crushing
two bunkers and a score of men。 One of the Titan's arms slammed into the ground； sending up a tall plume of dust； the other
flailing wildly as Princeps Daekian fought for balance。
Fierach stepped forward to shield the Honoris Causa and raised his weapon arms as Moderati Setanto shouted； 'Plasma cannon
fully charged； princeps！'
'I have you now！' snarled Fierach as he unleashed a torrent of white…hot plasma at the devil machine before him。 The viewscreen
darkened as the bolts struck the Dies Irae； its void shields flaring as they overloaded under the onslaught of the Imperator
Helium's guns。 It was still shielded； but the range was closing。
The Reavers of Battle Group Sword circled to Fierach's right； using their superior speed to flank the enemy Titan。 A flurry of
powerful laser blasts overloaded the void shields of the lead Reaver and even as its crew realised their danger； an incandescent
pulse of energy slashed from the Dies Irae's plasma annihilator and hammered into the command bridge in the head section。
Fierach shouted a denial as he saw a huge explosion rip the head from the Reaver and topple the machine。 Gracefully； the Reaver
collapsed； its artificially generated muscle movements dying with its princeps。 The machine's knees buckled and it smashed into
the ground in a vast cloud of red ash。 The remaining four Reavers scattered as Fierach shouted for more speed。
As though sensing that the Imperator Bellum was the leader of this force； the Dies Irae turned its ponderous upper body to face
Fierach。
This was how it was meant to be。 Man against daemon； flesh； bone and steel against whatever horror animated the daemonic
machine。
The Clavis Regni charged before him； its void shields flaring as enemy heavy tanks and weapon teams added their fire to that of
the Dies Irae。 Impacts hit his own Titan； knocking down another shield； and； as he saw another battle group of enemy Titans
emerge from the smoke with hundreds of tanks following them； Princeps Fierach knew doubt for the first time in many years。
It was not for nothing that this foe had stalked the galaxy with impunity these last ten thousand years。 It was a deadly enemy and
many a vaunted princeps had met his end by its guns。
A volley of cannon fire from the enemy reinforcements slammed into the Clavis Regni and Fierach watched； horrified； as his
brother princeps struggled to hold his Titan upright。 Flames roared from the inferno gun mounted on its arm and suddenly the
weapon exploded； showering the Clavis Regni with superheated fuel。
Moderati Yousen shouted； 'Princeps！ Colonel Leonid requests immediate support。 He reports they are taking heavy casualties！'
Fierach nodded； too busy to respond as he sidestepped a powerful blast from the Dies Irae's defence laser。 He felt； rather than saw；
another of the Reavers go down； the war machine toppled by the horrendous firepower arrayed against them。
One of the enemy Titans lurched towards the Imperator Bellum； shielding it from the fire of the Dies Irae； its monstrous head
swinging ponderously from side to side as it charged。
Fierach stepped forward to meet this new foe； swinging his chainfist at the Titan's head。 The vast motorised saw…blade grazed the
armoured carapace of the enemy machine； sliding clear in a shower of fat orange sparks。 In reply； the monster thrust its own
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
roaring chainblade at the Imperator Bellum's midsection。 Fierach felt the thunderous impact； the shriek of tearing metal as the
energised blade ripped through the thick armour of his Titan like paper。
Screams filled the internal vox as men below died and Fierach heard Engineer Ulandro yell； 'Princeps！ We have a reactor breach
on level secundus！'
Fierach didn't reply； desperately fending off another blow from the enemy Titan and stepping inside its guard to deliver a mighty
stroke across its neck。 Orange fire blasted from the enemy war machine as the Imperator Bellum's blade sheared through its
armour and tore its head from its body。 Fierach roared in triumph as massive secondary explosions ripped through the falling
Titan。
Smoke boiled throughout the command bridge and furious red warning symbols flashed urgently before Fierach。 The reactor was
going critical； but he knew that Ulandro was the best there was； and if he couldn't prevent an overload； then no one could。
He swung the Imperator Bellum around in time to see the death of the Clavis Regni； its void shields finally collapsing in a
spectacular pyrotechnic display as its generators overloaded and massive explosions whiplashed inside the machine。 The Titan
convulsed as the internal detonations ripped it apart from within and Fierach bellowed in anger to see such a heroic Titan die in
such a manner。
A thunderous impact shocked him from his fury and he turned to see the Dies Irae in all its hellish glory； its leg bastions wreathed
in flames。 He snarled； pushing the Imperator Bellum forwards as he saw yet more warning runes wink into life on the reactor
panel。
Engineer Ulandro was fighting a losing battle to contain the reactor breach； and as Fierach heard the desperate； pleading screams
of the Imperial Guard soldiers over the vox； he knew he had made an unforgivable tactical decision。
By indulging his lust for vengeance on the Legio Mortis； he had deserted his brother soldiers； and Fierach was filled with shame。
The Reavers of Battle Group Sword had defeated the supporting enemy Titans； but only two remained standing； flames billowing
from their weapon mounts and twisted carapaces。
He had doomed them all。
The Clams Regni was gone； but the Honoris Causa still stood； trading shots with the Dies Irae in an unequal battle that could have
but one outcome。
Fierach opened a channel to Princeps Daekian as he marched resolutely towards the firefight。
'Daekian！ Pull back eastwards； reinforce the Jouran units。'
'Princeps？' queried a breathless Daekian。
'Do it； damn your eyes！ Take what's left of Sword and try and salvage something from this disaster！'
'Yes； princeps；' acknowledged Daekian。
Fierach saw the reactor breach was getting steadily worse and felt a fatal sluggishness to the lmperator Bellum's movements。 The
god…machine was dying； but he would not allow such a mighty warrior to walk the road to hell alone and turned his Titan to face
the towering form of the Dies Irae。
Death awaited him and he welcomed it。
Suddenly calm； Fierach said； 'Daekian； I ask only one thing of you。 Avenge us。'
LEONID'S SQUAD HUDDLED in the dust； glittering with the sh