The rain poured a continuous shower of droplets that shivers the covered skin underneath layers of cotton coat fabric. The feeling of being hit by a barrage of endless water precipitation that is a part of the cycle in this world that have a more hospitable environment. It was a shame for the administratum to designate this planet as their outpost for any xenos incursion rather than turning it into either a hive or agri world.
So it could benefit the lives of many Imperials and the Emperor — such as the wheels of bureaucracy selects it. The rain carries on it's wailing of downpour nature as it splashes thousands upon thousands of the many driblets that it descends from the skies above.
Colonel Trajan was scrutinizing a holo-map of the general area to the many strategic positions that it might benefited him and his regiment. It was vital to look for key locations that would give his men a upper hand to quell the eldar's attack but for now; he has to destroy the webway that is dangerously close to HQ. But the eldar however, stayed quiet — not even striking HQ at the perfect moment.
They're up to something and Trajan doesn't like it. He could devise a plan to lure some of the eldar from their base so that he can interrogate the troublesome race. If it were orks then he would not have to send 2 companies worth of his troop to that one webway. He has to devise another stratagem in order to give the eldar a severe defeat or at least heavy loses for the latter. Col. Trajan was listening to the ramblings of his subordinates when until someone came, barging in uninvitingly.
The man seemed to be worn out — almost exhausted to the point where he was barely standing upright. He must have been a messenger from the 2nd company, perhaps it is news on how the assault's activity or at least something urgent that this guard would have him running to him.
"State your, purpose. What is your rank?" Col. Trajan said in a cold voice. Seeing the Colonels face drived the man to stand steady and made a salute to him.
"*Huff Huff* I am a Sargeant sir, Sgt. Mortez to be precise. I've come to deliver news that the assault was a total failure my lord. We were ambushed by the eldar and have driven us away from their main base. The 3rd infantry company has been wiped out, but the 2nd company barely survived the encounter with only 1 platoon surviving while there is only 1 Leman russ tank that made it out but not without any severe damaged." The Sgt. said, still standing on a salute form like a waving statue.
This made Trajan and other commanders to be silent for more than 2 min. The Colonel never said a word until one of the officers coughed to dissipate the awkward silence. This made Trajan to throw a glass cup at the wall next to Mortez, which startled the young sargeant.
Trajan didn't know how strong the fortress was to the eldar since they were not using it to the fullest, judging from the mechanicus scout but this made him realize that it was a webway that connects it from their craftworld. Sensing an opportunity to strike the eldar with his full force of 9,000 guardsman at his command then he would have the upper hand on countering the eldar.
"Major. Lothar, mobilize the Cadian shock troops, Catachan Jungle fighters and send in the 1st heavy infantry company and let the 4th armored company support it! I want this base destroyed!" Col. Trajan roared while the officer stood still as their commanding officer is screaming in fury. Issuing orders to the 2nd in command officer.
"Yes, my lord!" Lothar said while saluting to his commander.
Trajan was again fooled by the eldar's subterfuge tricks of deception and he has fallen again in their traps. Once more he has been straying on a path of his own demise. For countless times these good for nothing bastards have been biting my tail for the past couple of months. They haven't been even engage in a proper fight mush less a major battle.
The eldar have been ambushing the guard as it always continues to play in skirmishes. But this time they have made their move which gave Trajan an opportunity to strike his foe with imperial steel. Let us see if the eldar are really going to fight seriously.
"Oh and don't forget to call in Hughes de Callion." Col. Trajan said as his final orders. Everyone around was dumbstruck to hear that the Colonel is bringing in a fromedible force. He even included an imperial Knight to do the task as well. Even though sir Callion is from a lesser noble house, it's still a devastating weapon to behold.
If Col. Trajan is using it, then the enemy their facing must be that dangerous. Major Lothar understands the Colonels frustration and resentment towards the eldar foes. Sir Callion would be pleased after he hears that his Cerastus knight Acheron would finally be brought to combat after months of being crept in a cell.
"Y-yes my Lord... I'll do it right away!" Said the Major and then left the room, striding straight to his office.
*****
Scanning through the forest was Frakon's mundane exercise routine as it calms him from all the chaos. Luring the Mon'Keigh to a fake webway that many of his architects replicated it to be similar to an actual webway was genius. Off course it was never a real webway — it was nothing but supporting structures that looks ideally to the original. It displays a large energy light that even machines can be fooled to it's allure.
After all it is made out of psychic energy by the Noble Aeldari. Seeing that the Mon'Keigh have been taking on the aggressive side makes his job a lot more easier. Now all that's left is lure a large majority of their forces to this one base that house naught but the full force of the Aeldari. Surely nothing can go wrong at this point — even when things are going just as Frakon anticipated the simple minded race of idiots. While meditating below a tree where leaves fall off. Frakon was now in a trance of serene silence and peace where nothing; not even his own kind can disturb him.
Back at the Eldar HQ.
In one of the tents that were erected as a temporary place to sleep. Aemylth was staring at a stream of clear, translucent water flowing in one of the miniature fountains. It somehow reminded her of the time when that one Mon'Keigh saved her from that hairy beast. She wanted to thank him by sewing a small rag doll for him if ever they meet again. It is a gesture that she is grateful for the human that saved her when things got for the worse.
Even though they are in the middle of a war that my kind has been avoiding any major battles until recently as we have now started to make our move now that the Mon'Keigh are rallying their forces. It was now time for the Aeldari to finally end the nuisance since they have been expecting the humans to fall for a trap that would make their downfall be a jest for the other Mon'Keigh.
Nevertheless, Aemylth wanted to give something to him in return so she decided to go to the forest where she first met the strange Mon'Keigh. But she suddenly heard her Exarch orders to prepare under the orders of Autarch Frakon. She would postponed her gift later for war has summoned the howling banshees. Her cold expression has prepared her for this and she hopes that the Mon'Keigh wouldn't die once they've meet again.
*****
There were large metal walls surrounding the Imperial Guard HQ. Castor Lorr is carving the wooden statue he has been working on for months and so far he still hasn't mastered it yet. He sighed that the entire 3rd company has been wiped out and his platoon was all thats left thanks to Commissar Ironfangs efforts. Despite being a Commissar, she still cares for her fellow guard — even though she killed a lot of us but that doesn't. What matters is that I'm still alive as well as the rest of my squad. I'm surprise they've made this far, which would garner my respect to them even more.
"Oh, boy. I can't believe the eldar would be the ones to take the first move. Who knew that we would be defeated?" Felix sarcastically remarks as he was still that gullible fella.
"SHH! Don't say that or else the Commissar would end up shooting all of us!" Domitian whispered to him as he puts his hand behind Felix ear.
"Thats enough arguing boys. Be thankful that the Commissar is nice compared to the others." Sgt. Anya said as she bangs her fist on the two's heads.
It has been only for 5 hours since we've made it back to HQ and now we are ordered to fight again after 0500 hours. This made Castor to work vigorously as he wanted to finish the wooden sculpture that his deceased father taught him. Clay molding was his first time learning sculpting but his father sees the potential in Castor so he taught him how to carve wooden statues. He still practice it to this but not as frequent as he usually would since he has to be more vigilant since he would be in more fights.
So he carves his way faster while in the company of Czevak to entertain him while he works his way to finish the statue of a humanoid with his swiss knife. He wanted to create a small miniature army comprising of entirely imperial guard. All thats left was this one guard so he could finally finish the army he has been working on — not because he would play with them but it was there for aesthetic design.
Then suddenly, Commissar Ironfang was now at the gate where his platoon was waiting for new orders. She walks closely towards us and huffs a sigh of disgust. The platoon immediately went into a single line formation as per protocol.
"Who is in charge?" Commissar Ironfang called out to my unit. Multiple guardsman were silent, even I stopped carving the unfinished wooden figure.
"Its me, Commissar! Lt. Stern Korey at your service!" The man name Korey step forward and saluted himself to her.
"Have the guard prepare for a reconnaissance mission with the entire platoon." The Commissar said with a cold tone on her sinewed mouth.
Confused, Lt. Korey asked with concern "We are only a platoon of less armed infantry guardsman. I don't know if we can handle another ambush Commissar."
"That is why the tech-priest skitarii rangers would be aiding us in this endeavor." Ironfang said with a strong resolve.
"Then, I shall prepare the men and women who will embark on this journey. May the Emperor be with you." Lt. Korey said in reassurance.
"May your faith be rewarded, guardsman." Ironfang said as a way of goodluck.
After that, Lt. Korey ordered the squad to finish their meals in 15 minutes then they will leave. The heavy rain doesn't make for a good atmosphere to have lunch at a time like this. It pours thousands of droplets as it wettens my tunic inside my plate armor. The skitarii rangers are now ready and are awaiting my units to initiate the scouting operations.
Then all of a sudden, Commissar Ironfang called my name in a very cold voice as I look back to meet her. It couldn't be more excruciating than having a private talk with someone who will shoot you at the head if I make the wrong move. My heart palpitates tensely as Castor marches towards the Commissar who was standing behind an eeri metal door.
"Yes, Commissar. What is that you need?" I nervously said as she beckons her finger towards me. She opens the door and I went in without saying a word then she closes the door behind me. The space between us was a corridor that was link to the watchtower above them. Confused, I tried to ask but when my mouth was open she immediately puts her hand at the wall beside me. Glaring at me as if I am a heretic.
'God-Emperor please release us from this hell.' I prayed with my eyes closed but what I didn't expect was not to come. She pulls in a bag of rations and hands it over to me, bewildered by her unexpected change in behavior, I obediently accepted the rations and proceeded to get out of the room as fast as I can. Without turning my head back out of fear if the Commissar would shoot me.
"It's not the same, I miss Gebris twinkled smile. It always gives me the warmth that I never had." She muttered to herself and looks outside at the pouring rainfall as she can see one of Gebris squadmates went back to his unit like the cannon fodder he is. This mission was not assign to her but it was a way to find the culprit that killed Gebris in front of her.
When the salamander transport vehicle drop off my unit to a new environment where this has a mountain range that stretches from the edge of the horizon. It's tall rocky appearance made it as if it reach the heavens as it touches the misty clouds that pass by. As the sun sets to nestle itself on the other side of world — darkness looms throughout the night. Making it more harder for the reconnaissance squad to cover ground. Thankfully, though the Skitarii are here to pave the way as they can see through the darkest corners from their visors.
Castor wonders if he could see the beautiful eldar woman; he saved a few hours ago. He hopes she can make it out alive right after when we have another counter-attack. He prays she'll still breathes, because he wants to speak to her. The encounter they had before was only out of impulse and not let the creature kill it for him as to save some batteries. But instead, rather than let it die; Castor instead save the eldar.
His enemy that would later kill him. He didn't know why he did it, it wasn't just his nature. This was not what he taught to be and yet he saves the eldar from impending Doom and moments later patch her up as well. Perhaps it was her alluring beauty that enapsulates him or was it because of his frustration from the past? No one knows for certain which is why Castor is more eager to see her again. If only briefly then he'll know what's going on.
2 days later
The 2nd strike force that consist of the Cadian shock troops, Catachan Jungle fighters and 2 companies of both heavy infantry and armored vehicles. It was a resounding success when Hughes de Callion from then lesser Noble house manages to draw the attention most of the eldar forces. Even Autarch Fakon was surprise to see an imperial Knight walking among the guard side by side at a coordinated attack.
This forced the Autarch to change his plans now that there was an imperial Knight present. It therefore would be necessary for Frakon to order his own Titan war machine to deal with the new nuisance. But he'll have to separate it by other means if it means giving him a fighting chance.
It can only mean that this time the imperials have at least one edge and this time it could have shift in the favor of whose side to take the victory. Upon hearing the news that the eldar base that his company had lost to would spark a mix feeling of triumph and concern. The latter being that if the imperial force did won and killed all the eldar there then that would mean that one eldar he saved must have died.
At least the death of my fellow soldiers would be avenge. He sips some of the soup that he was having, it was sour yet feels warm after boiling in the fireplace with the rest of his squad amidst the cold night. They were sitting together in a circle, with blankets wrap around them for extra warmth. All while Domitian plays some sort small string instrument that has a curvy body figure back when he was still at his hometown in Hadria. We stayed like this for a good 5 minutes until a guard showed up in our tent.
"Sgt. Anya, your squad's next to patrol the area again but this time the Commissar said you should venture farther than before. As we suspect there would be more xenos activity there. May the God-Emperor guide you." The guardsman said while saluting to her.
"*Sigh* Pack it up boys, we're out to look for more rocks again." Sgt. Anya said as she scoffs to her squad mates and reluctantly gets up from the warm campfire.
Castor wonders if they could actually find anything that would at least be more exciting other than to drive all day at his motorbike only to bump into the Skitarii rangers. He hopes that he could at least fight an eldar aspect warrior on par with his current skill level.
He gets up drank some water and grabs his lasgun with a few frag grenades as well as 2 power battery packs in case his rifle runs out of juice. Now all thats left is find whatever that this mountain has to discover. 'Whats so special about this place anyway?' he thought while marching towards their scout vehicles.
*****
"Aemylth, what are you doing?" Elris said as she scans through the doll that Aemylth was doing. She hasn't seen Aemylth sew ever since she chose to the path of the warrior as an eldar Banshee.
"It's... for someone special." Aemylth replied and proceeds to sew diligently.
"Who could it be?" Elris said with curiosity but when it came to Aemylth to respond — all she had was a slight flush of red incarnadine that Elris sighs. "You know, you have to keep your emotions in check so that she who thirst doesn't eat your soul." She said with concern as Elris caress her cheeks.
"It's only a gift of thanks, only a gift. What's so bad about giving a gift of gratitude?" Aemylth said as she tries to retort to her friend. Which made her blush like her crimson red eyes.
"Haaa~ you know its not hard to tell what your thinking right?" Elris said as she bends herself into an arch to match the height where Aemlyth is sitting.
"And yet you act like the witch you are." Aemylth said as she faced her companion who was in front of her.
They both giggle and chat for a good 10 minutes until Elris was called by her team. It seems like there are other Mon'Keigh scouts searching in their vicinity. Like all other eldar, she obliged and beg Aemylth goodby when the latter stopped her and ask if she could join them in hunting down the scouts.
Elris, feeling suspicious inquired Aemylth as to the reason why would she tag along. The reason was as simple as it is, she also wants to hunt down the Mon'Keigh as a way to flex her muscles and practice her marshal prowess. Squinting her eyes as Elris glares at her friend and Aemylth just shrugs it off as if it has no hidden agenda. Elris being Elris, reluctantly complies and so they embark on their hunt for any Mon'Keigh scouts that might find their other hidden base after their humiliating defeat 2 days ago.
When the Mon'Keigh force brought in a formidable army that the fake HQ wouldn't have thought it would happen so fast and there was even a large bipedal titan that looks smaller than revenant scout titan. Now they have retreated back to the safety of the mountain range that is suitable in defense. All thats left is leave the higher ups to think of another stratagem to quell the Mon'Keigh incursion.