The council argued and debated, the King sat with his head in his hands it was late at night. They had breached the outermost wall, Maria and then Rose the second. And well they howled at the gates, there hunger for flesh overwhelming the people inside. The people demanded action. The King raised a hand for silence. "I have found something that may be the answer to our problems." He snapped his fingers and an officer of the Military Police came forward with a box marked with a double headed eagle. It was small and black and also it was marked with a sliver I with a skull.
One of the Councilors a woman missing a leg and walking with a crutch looked at the King with his little box. "What is that going to do for us? The monsters are going to be battering down the gate." "We have the shifters" Said an old one-eye man. "But they have a potential to go rouge." "We CANNOT allow that Reidman." The King looked at his bickering Council his eyes flashed with annoyance. "I can summon our salvation, no more warriors will die."
This caused the councilors to look at the king, " Your Majesty what can you summon that would mean the end of Humanity's suffering?" "What can end the Titan troubles?" The doors flew open and a woman walked in, she had an aura about her, she seemed to be ethereal, her skin was pale and she was clad in armor of white marked with a crescent moon and the same double headed eagle. Her voice awed the Council, her very words dripped with hope, something so Alien in these dark times. In this dark city, the last bastion of humanity against that which sought to consume it. "Greetings, I am Serenity, Princess of the Imperium."
"We know not of any human kingdoms beyond this one, we are the last ones left, how in Gods name did you survive in the Titan fields woman." Serenity lowered her hood, her appearance was, alien to the people, pale skin and long golden hair. her face was pale and she was smiling with wide blue eyes. A wave of her fingers and the box floated into her hand. The buzz of the room went completely silent. What IS this woman Was in the minds of all present.
A press of a button on the box and images sprang to life, of machine crossing the stars as if the space between them was the sea and plunging into a place of darkness and emerging in the sky. There was commotion in the streets as holes appeared and then the flaming things that landed in the streets beyond the safe walls. Shots rang out like muskets but they seemed as loud as cannons. There was the shrieking sound of great metal birds descending from heaven discharging on the titans naught but death with loud bangs or with beams of blazing light or bombs.
The King and his council rushed onto the balcony Serenity stood with them watching the II Legion brutally drive the foe from the city. The Council was awed by this display of firepower as the Titans were, Dying and fleeing in droves.
"What is the Imperium?" Said the King looking to Serenity.
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Allanor ducked a little five meter tall titan and then swung his sword removing the beasts legs. Then he thrust it into the beasts neck, removing head from shoulders. There were several such fights being waged by squads of space marines against the titans. The vox in Allanors collar rang with the sounds of his sons fighting the titans.
I see three 1-5 Meters dead ahead
Confirm, watch it Sargent, we got 3 0-5 meter gremlins.
Hooks away
Blow the charges
Thats a kill
Allanor was confronted with a 15 meter tall titan, memories of battle with his brother Lorgar infused with the power of the Warp came back, his brother had been about that height. The fact of fighting such things that loomed over a Primarch, one of the Emperors sons. That was not good, it would have to be brought down. Rush between the things legs and then snick, snick and the thing fell down. Then jump on the things back and stab its neck. The ruins rang with the sounds of bolters, his sons weapons proving most effective against the titans.
The beasts were fleeing, now was not the time for a purge. "Hold my sons, now we shall show ourselves to the city long deprived of hope." The Space marines checked to make sure the titans were not breathing. "Disgusting are they not father". Allanor turned to an Apothecary of the Legion. "No fatalities sir from being eaten, the men were quick on their feet but the percussive shock of their steps hurt many, we are whole. Unlike that scouting team we had the honor of avenging, caught unawares by some bloated beast."
Allanor nodded, the young faces so full of life and determination, he being forged for war ,a God basically could take it. What would the youths comrades think, their friends now consumed by a foul beast. Mortals interested him, but his true joy was war, there were formulas to follow. The II Legion had fought traitorous mechanical titans. Now it was living things.
He turned towards the city walls. Horses came out of the gate with warriors on them. Wearing green cloaks like the ones who were killed and who led the II legion to its first titan kill. They looked at the field of dead titans draped over the houses and the giants that had felled them. Wearing armor of blue and black with massive guns clutched in their hands. The primarch was a savage sight with his black hair full of gore and it dripping down his armor. A huge black sword was sheathed at his waist. A wind came and drew his cloak out behind him. Night was a dangerous time to be outside but the II legion had fought daemons, the chosen of Lorgar. So the beasts that preyed on the humans on this planet would not be much of a stretch.
Allanor stepped forward, he seemed to be a giant in his own right but the fact that he had ripped into a titan and his smile, full of sincerity was what made the scouts feel more at ease. Allanor turned towards the boxes that were brought out of a Rhino. They had the remains of cloaks draped over them, they were coffins. The leader of the unit, he wore the same badge as the dead came forward. "Thank you." was all he said.
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The people came out into the streets of the inner city, people living in tents and in houses crowded around as the warriors from the stars marched into the inner city. The II legion had taken off their helms revealing faces of warriors who had seen brothers fall against horrors of things and yet retained their nobility and honor.
Allanor rode at the head of the column of 2000 astartes on his jetbike he looked at the people, hungry and tired and yet they had hope for the future, the Space Marines gave people that hope. He did with his smile that caused young women to go weak at the knees sometimes.
He led his men to the center of the city. And everyone stood silent waiting for him to speak.
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