Glory Boys - Part I

[Battle Brother Arius]

The roar of battle dominated the city, blocking out the cries of the zealous and the dying.  From above the city was a maze of craters and rubble wrought by the hand of the Ruinous Powers, the worshippers of Chaos.  Heretics.  Red flashes from lasguns danced through the alleyways and buildings, singing flesh and glancing off stonecrete, punctuated by the occasional detonation of a krak grenade.  

All throughout the city men died; although the worshippers of Chaos could hardly be described as human.  They were filth.

Such were the thoughts of Sergeant Maine as his Valkyrie brought the city ever closer to him and his men; each and every one loyal to the God Emperor and his Imperium of Man.  Men: the only race worthy of ruling this Galaxy.  Maine muttered a prayer to the Emperor and turned to his twelve soldiers, each and every one ready to die in service of the Imperium.

"Men! This day we fight like never before! For it is on this day that we face the Arch Enemy, the mutant and the heretic! Those fools who seek the shadow of Chaos to the divine light of the Imperium!" heis voice was ladden with confidence and faith,

"Let us show them their folly!" he roared to his Storm Troopers, who in turn roared their agreement and banged fists on carapace clad chests.

"Make ready your Hellguns Glory Boys! We will have victory this day!" once more his men urged their devotion with cries of valour and rattled their Hellguns.  

Now the Valkyrie was low indeed and it swerved between crumbling towers and mighty statues of the Emperors Angels of Death, wielding swords greater than buildings and grasping unfurled scrolls of commandment and wisdom.  Deadly lances from Lascannons screamed forward into the sky, dodged by the skilled pilot within and skilled he had to be, for it was the elite he carried into battle.

[Battle Brother Arius]

The landing zone was in view now from the cockpit; a stretch of stonecrete dotted with piles of debris and the smouldering corpses of loyalist and traitor alike.  On the edges of what was previously used as a loading bay Guardsmen were scattered, defending this strategic landing point with their very lives.  They traded opportunistic shots with the heretics that surrounded them, halting them from flooding in and crippling Imperial hold over this city even more.

Fortunately the pilot was true to his training and the Valkyrie screeched to a shuddering halt in mid air above the landing zone and slowly began its descent, shrugging off small arms fire from the enemies below.  The metallic legs slid out of their containers, pressing down on to the stonecrete floor and balancing the ship.  There was a moment of silence, where the enemies of the Imperium surveyed the transport craft for signs of what manner of foe had been sent against them and as if in reply the rear ramp of the Valkyrie hissed and cracked open.  A jet of foggy air rushed out as the ships atmosphere stabilisers adjusted to the planets' and within the fog figures loomed into existence like wraiths from the underworld.

"To war! For the Emperor and the Imperium!" cried a steely voice from within and it was answered by a hail of enemy fire that glanced off the Valkyries rear and slid into the gloom of the craft.  A solitary figure came forth, unhindered by the clumsy volley.  As the ethereal shadow entered the light it merged into a man, tall and proud, clad in gleaming black armour.  His head was exposed, his face grim; jaw set and eyes narrowed.  The Storm Trooper Sergeant drew his sabre, slicing it up through the air and thrusting it forward to accompany one simple order.  

"Fire!"

[Battle Brother Arius]

From the shadows of the Valkyries belly the elusive figures in the smog let loose a salvo of Hellgun fire.  Beams of lasfire like whips of fire cut through the air towards the entrenched enemy.  Those foolish enough to still be standing were caught in the storm of lasfire and their flesh was soon covered in gaping lacerations that spewed forth blood and sinew like a gory waterfall.  

As the Storm troopers descended the ramp in tight ranks the weak sunlight, hard pressed to punch through the veil of smoke that rose from the smouldering city, glinted off of their sleek black armour as they advanced.  Their fingers stayed depressed on triggers as they marched forwards into cover, unwilling to give the enemy the chance at reprisal.  Then, at the last moment, they broke formation like the shattering of a great black mirror and hunkered down behind makeshift cover.  Sergeant Maine crouched beside the awe struck Sergeant of the Guardsmen squad and saluted.

"Sergeant Maine of the Storm Troopers reporting for battle!" he said in clipped tones.  The other Sergeant saluted shakily.

"Thank the Throne you've arrived! We were about to lose this point!" stammered the Sergeant, forgetting the formalities of introduction in the face of relief.

"You had faith and so the Emperor has rewarded you!  I have commands to inform a Sergeant Brian that he and his squad are to continue to hold this point for further reinforcements! Are you him?"

"The same," nodded the Sergeant identified as Brian, "We'll hold this point, but only if you can help clean up the place a little,"

Maine smiled a savage smile.

"It'd be a pleasure," he turned to his men, their red visors trained on their Sergeant, awaiting orders, "Alright men! Let’s turn the tides!"

[Battle Brother Arius]

The squad nodded and turned in union and like machines programmed in the art of war they swung their guns up and rose from cover.  The heretics opened fire with maddened lasfire and inaccurate bursts from an autogun; it was folly.  The lasfire glanced off of the Carapace and the autoguns aim was off, sending slugs of metal into stonecrete barricades.  The Storm Troopers returned fire with the accuracy attained only by targeters and one by one their adversaries were caught in the sea of red and brought to their knees, clasping at gaping wounds and singed flesh.

Then, with their enemies demoralised and cowering, they rose from cover like vengeful spirits from the grave and charged their enemy's position.  The distance was closed in a small matter of seconds and the black clad troops swung over the short wall that had been used as cover.  They landed with thuds on the other side and slaughtered those few still unfortunate enough to be alive.

Sergeant Maine plucked his Sabre from the twitching body of a foe and gazed up at the building whose shadow they stood in.  It was blatantly a building of the Imperium, with all the Gothic Architecture present; shaped pillars and engraved skulls, even the Aquilla.  

"We make our way through the building and towards our destination! To reinforce the frontline push! Forward! For the Emperor!" cried the Sergeant, and the Storm Troopers fell into formation as they proceeded.

The Storm Troopers had landed successfully, as were their kin all over the city.  They would fight to the last in this burning city and reclaim it for the Imperium so its glory could be restored.  As long as a single enemy of the Emperor lived within the city walls there could be no rest...

* * * To be continued * * *

Comments and constructive criticism welcome!  Should I bother writing up the next part?

[Fythbro]

I enjoyed reading that immensely!

[Battle Brother Arius]

Really? Wow! Thanks a lot man! It is always great to hear your work is appreciated and as an aspiring writer those words mean a lot to me! Thanks!  

How about the rest of you?

[Tortured_Soul]

Very entertianing.

I thought you could have lavished a bit more detail into the actual fire fights, the scene of the Valkyrie disembarkment and the exchange between the Sergeants seemed to take comparatively longer for what I felt was minor content, but still very good none-the-less.

[Battle Brother Arius]

Very entertianing.

I thought you could have lavished a bit more detail into the actual fire fights, the scene of the Valkyrie disembarkment and the exchange between the Sergeants seemed to take comparatively longer for what I felt was minor content, but still very good none-the-less.

No fear, this chapter wasn't exactly about focusing on battle so much as setting the scene for the arrival of the Storm Troopers and letting you know what is going on in the city.  There will be plenty more gritty warfare in the coming chapters!

[Reaper P7]

It was comparable to Gaunt's Ghosts in my opinion. Great work! 

[Battle Brother Arius]

It was comparable to Gaunt's Ghosts in my opinion. Great work! 

  Wow, do you have any idea how much credit you give me by saying that?!

Thanks a lot man! That means so much to me...

Please read Part II and tell me what you think!