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Chapter 27 - The Cold March

Now with the much needed Reinforcements, we held back the tide of constant foes and worked through the night setting up bu nckers and other fortifications that should hold them back if by some small miracle should they break through our defensive line, they would not make it very far pass them because the Guard is famed and prides itself on to things numbers and warmachines. 

I stood they gazing at the fortress that is the Governors palace with my Legion banner or Chapter banner now firmly in my grip , which was on the thunder hawk scaning for weakness in their lines for the enemy forces have entrenched them selves around it and we have not heard anything from the Governor or anyone else for that matter since before we made land fall. Rylanor stood guard protecting me from any one who would dare take my life, I promised him that we should try and show those who have fallen to these lies that run rampant in the cultists mind but it is hard for me to think that they could be forgiven for what has happend over the years.

Standing in the newly established FOB ( Forward Operating Base), the Lieutenant came rushing towards me from one of the bunkers, it seems he is to be the liaison between us and the other Imperial guard officers, I get the feeling that they whish to keep an eye on us but I trust the Lieutenant, " My lord! we have recived our last drop of reinforcements for the time being." Turning to face the Lieutenant my armour began to make adjustments as I moved my body, Rylanor stood there still and unmoving but I could tell he was listening closely, " Lieutenant it is good to see you safe I heard you went missing for a time when seting up camp." the Lieutenant made a slight chuckle, " I appericate the concern my lord but I promise that I am fine and thankfuly I was gone but a moment."

I thought about what he said and how it concerned me disappering in combat can be... dangerous, " What are our forces?" as I walked towards where the officers would be, assuming that they would be forming a plan of attack. The Lieutenant placed a hand inside his vest pulling a datapad, " My Lord we at lest four battlions of Guardsmen, with four squads of Ogryns and three squads of the Emperors finest "Storm Troopers" and heavy weapons squads for add support, but we are also blessed to have one armoured divison that is made up of Leman Russ tanks and Basilisk mobile artillery tanks, but saving the best for last my lord " The Hammer of The Emperor" a mighty Baneblade."

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Even with these forces, which by no means is lacking in strength or firepower we still don't know the full extanent of their forces which does concern me, making my way inside the command buncker we talked for what felt like an age but from what I gathered talking to the officers and about a strategy for dealing for any surprises, has me forming quite the group of connections with the Imperial Guard, These will come in use that I have no doubt.

To push through there lines then secure the Governors palace, we began to move out with me at the front still holding the Chapter banner high with Rylanor, leaveing one battlion and a squad of Ogryans as a garrison that should we fail they can call for support or finish off the job themselves. We had to split up our forces to get to the Governors palace because our armoured divison can't make it through the more tighter sections of the Hive city after suffering from a few skirmishes we arrived about a kilometre away from the palace but we were halted by a gruesome sight..... they crusified soldiers and civilans alike, they nailed there hands and feet to a wooden posts some have markings that look to be created by a knife all over their bodys, others skined with their insides on the ground, others had their heads cut off and placed onto metal spikes.

Placing my hand on my chest I made small vow and asking the Emperor in all his might to take all these tortured souls to his side, I lifted my head back up to see a young boy and girl lying on the ground, I stabbed the Chapter banner into the ground and began to walk forward byound the group I could feel the pain of some and sickening feeling of others, Rylanor followed behind me, I knelt down to these children who were beaten and brused but the skin around there knuckles were brocken, that told me that they didn't go down with out a fight, I looked closely at the hands noticing a faint shine of something having an idea of what the is trinket is, which I haven't seen for a long time, leaning forword I placed my hand on the object that they held onto when they were alive, I pulled my hand away then opened it showing a winged skull with a sword going through it, I stood up and held it towords Rylanor showing him what I have found, Rylanor spoke with sadness in his voice, " These little ones held onto the symbole of every Astartes ( Space Marine) to have lived and died in his name, another of our brethren must have given him this and saw potenial in the young boy..... dame these traitours for taking the life of these children, espically of the boy..... he showed fearlessness even with out the Emperors gifts he was worthy to join our ranks." 

I walked back to the banner placing the trinket into one of my poches and singaled to clear the way for our forces and to respect the dead and promised that we will morn the dead when the day is done and the enemy is dead and turned to dust. 

After clearing the dead away I shouted with all my might, " Soldiers of the Emperor... I feel your pain and sadness but do not fulter for that will only give them more power over us, use the pain and fear for that will drive you to fight on and live to see the next battle, even if I took my last breath I would be sure to take the bastard with me and even at that point I would use every ounce of life left to kill another one after that. You are the Emperors hammer and you will strick his foes down!!!" the sound of roaring tanks and artillery could be heard all around as they pushed beyond the main force surprising the enemy force I climbed The Hammer of The Emperor and spoke once again, " For our brothers! For our sisters! FOR THE EMPEROR!!!!"

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