Chapter 6: Space Necromancer

Saushyan felt a powerful force tearing at his genetically modified superhuman body. After experiencing the gentle, weightless environment of space, this sensation was deeply unpleasant.

As the drop pod screamed and roared like thunder, tearing through a flurry of laser beams and leaving a trail of devastation in its wake, the machine spirit also voiced its protest; red warning lights began to flicker at a high frequency.

It was enduring intense collisions, continuous changes in direction, and violent deceleration.

The drop pod’s inertial dampeners and the hydraulic systems of their power armor were put to the ultimate test. Every warrior possessed the body of a demigod; their tough, thick muscles and highly adaptive black carapace and bones absorbed the immense force that would have torn an ordinary human to shreds.

But this was far from enough. If they landed at the wrong angle, they would still be smashed into a pulp.

"Engage landing thrusters."

Through the cracked screen, Saushyan issued the final command to the machine spirit.

He could still see the drop pod, like a comet, piercing through the hard blackstone shell, creating a long trail of sparks against his surroundings. The crew compartment was now filled with the harsh sounds of metal grinding and colliding.

Despite its deep dissatisfaction, the machine spirit obeyed Saushyan’s will. The deceleration rockets fired one after another, but only half functioned properly, meaning their impact angle would be far from ideal.

*Bang!*

The massive impact caused Saushyan’s helmet to slam violently against the bulkhead behind him. The restraint straps groaned as they were stretched to their limit, and the inertia made everyone’s chest feel as if a giant boulder were pressing down on it.

Finally, after a long period of intimate friction with the rocky surface, the drop pod came to a stop like a slowly rotating egg.

Afterward, the remaining functional cameras provided Saushyan with the information he needed regarding the devastation outside.

Just as planned, the desolate surface of the World Engine was littered with the wreckage and debris of drop pods bearing the Astral Knights' emblem. The once-flat black ground now truly resembled an asteroid, pockmarked with impact craters.

However, there was no sign of any Space Marines, nor any sign of the enemy.

Saushyan could feel the explosions of damaged landers transmitting through the deck beneath the cabin. Through the surviving cameras, he saw liquid leaking from ruptured promethium fuel containers catching fire, with black smoke shrouding the chaotic surroundings.

"Prepare to open the hatch."

Saushyan spoke to the others via his helmet’s comms. At his urging, accompanied by a heavy thud, the pressure valve opened.

At the same time, the struts unlocked, allowing the warriors to exit quickly.

For a drop pod lying on its side, it was not an ideal posture for a quick exit. As Saushyan knelt on the shattered instrument panel, the other squad members climbed out of their seats using the struts and gathered around him.

The warriors knelt on one knee, each of them a veteran of countless battles, their well-maintained weapons gripped tightly in their hands.

"Is everyone here?"

"Hasdrubal, present."

Hasdrubal, the squad’s heavy weapons specialist, was responsible for operating a heavy bolter. He was the core firepower of the tactical squad and a recruit from a batch even earlier than Saushyan’s.

"Reznor, present."

"Callicinus, present."

Reznor and Callicinus stood on either side of Saushyan, awaiting the order to disperse. They carried the squad’s standard weaponry.

"Verinus, present."

"Fex, present."

Verinus’s voice came from behind Reznor. The young legionary gripped his Mk IVc bolter tightly, while the equally young Fex knelt behind him.

"Arcan, present."

Holding his flamer, he moved to Saushyan’s side, the grenades and extra promethium canisters on his person clattering.

"Occam, present."

He was the oldest member of the squad, but also the strongest supporter of Saushyan as squad leader. There had once been rumors that he was the intended candidate for leader, but he had declined the appointment.

"Axel, present."

"Nard, present."

Next were Saushyan’s two close friends. The squad had been very fortunate to suffer no casualties.

"For the Emperor."

Saushyan gave the signal in a steady voice.

"Positions."

With a nod from him, Axel pressed the "manual release" button on the hatch.

Immediately, the hatch, composed of several plasteel segments, began to open like a bloodthirsty maw filled with fangs. The sight of the World Engine gradually revealed itself to the squad members.

The tactical display in Saushyan’s helmet immediately began marking all moving targets outside the drop pod. As faint glimmers flashed across the screen, the auspex began to display data from various sensors—infrared, ultraviolet, and motion sensors.

"The welcoming ceremony is about to begin."

Axel still maintained the mood to joke, but after a Gauss flayer beam grazed the back of his helmet through the open hatch, he could no longer laugh.

"Why don't you go give them a grand introduction?"

Nard couldn't help but tease him, but Saushyan interrupted this inappropriate behavior.

"Prepare to move, center-focused formation."

With that, Saushyan was the first to leap out of the hatch. With a roar of his bolter, he fired the first shot of the day.

Propelled by its charge, the bolt flew across the black rock deck, leaving a scorching trail.

Its impact was devastating. A Necron advancing hesitantly was hit squarely; its metallic skeletal body, a mockery of human form, exploded from the center, and the Gauss flayer in its hand fell to the ground.

But it did not die immediately. Within the silver-white skull, that sickening green light had not yet faded. Its lower body lay ten meters away, while its upper torso crawled toward the weapon on the ground.

Necrons—the cursed dead—were such pathetic existences.

They had no souls, and most had no consciousness; they were merely echoes of an ancient empire, pathetic remnants that refused to leave the stage of the galaxy.

Filled with hatred, Saushyan fired another shot into its head, ending its movement.

"First blood is yours again."

Axel muttered annoyingly on the comms channel. The squad members followed closely, heads down, jumping out of the hatch.

The Space Marines engaged in the battle to push back the enemy’s offensive the moment they landed. Their bolters rapidly fired bullet after bullet, which flew across the deck, hitting their targets with precision and tearing the slowly advancing metal skeletons into parts. It didn't take long.

"Captain, Captain, do you copy?"

As the members dealt with the approaching Necron fodder, Saushyan tried hard to contact their company, but communications seemed to be jammed; there was only static in the channel.

"Locate... main control... core..."

Amidst the noise, Saushyan identified a fragmented voice. He couldn't tell whose it was, but it was definitely human.

"...11 o'clock... direction... gather..."

Saushyan glanced at the auspex. It did not show any friendly forces nearby, which meant they were at a distance from the main body.

"Advance toward 11 o'clock."

The number of soulless ones was endless, closing in on them from all directions. The squad was fighting with their backs to the drop pod, but they certainly couldn't hold out for long. Saushyan quickly spotted a gap in the battlefield.

"Follow me!"

It was a damaged Gauss turret. Saushyan ran while firing; the flaying beams of the Gauss guns followed his footsteps, but he was faster.

The squad members followed closely, weaving through the hail of fire, attempting to reach the ruined turret.

*Click!*

A strange, three-legged Necron leaped out. It held a massive, flickering warscythe and charged at Saushyan with incredible speed.

*Bang! Bang!*

Saushyan fired twice; one bolt was dodged, and the other hit the opponent’s shoulder, only tearing off a few pieces of metal.

The two were now at close quarters. He decisively drew the chainsword at his waist and brushed his thumb over the activation rune.

Accompanied by the hungry whine of the teeth, it bit fiercely into the pale green warscythe. Harboring guilt toward his machine spirit, Saushyan slammed the hilt of his bolter into the creature's head.

A crack appeared on the pale metal skull. Saushyan pressed forward, wrapped his left arm around the creature's neck, and twisted it backward.

*Sizzle!*

A Gauss ray happened to hit the Necron warrior that Saushyan was holding from behind. This weapon was powerful against most armor, but it was ineffective against their own living metal.

A large hole was etched into the Necron warrior's chest. It began to struggle violently, but Saushyan’s strength was famous throughout the chapter; he pulled upward with all the force in his elbow.

Along with its metal spine, Saushyan ripped the pale skull straight off.

"Conserve ammunition!"

He issued the order to the members covering him via the squad channel, then tucked the skull, still attached to its spine, behind his waist.

"Advance!"

The squad successfully hid behind the turret. Saushyan glanced at the auspex and found several bright spots appearing at the edge of the screen.

"Found them! We need to rendezvous with the others."