Sons of Fenris

by Lee Lightner

  A shrill cry cut through the air, followed by hissing from all directions. Mikal caught movement in his peripheral vision. New attackers swarmed the Space Marines. Large reptilian humanoids leapt from buildings and rushed into the warriors from all sides.

  These new foes stood as tall as the Space Marines. Grey-green scales covered their bodies along with tufts of green, brown and red fur. Their large eyes were yellow with diamond-shaped black pupils. Long fangs and sharp teeth filled their jaws, although they moved

  more like primates than lizards. Many of them had strange warpaint in red and purple streaked across their bodies. Fearlessly, they launched themselves at the Space Marines.

  The attack startled the Wolf Guard, but it did not deter them. No matter the foe, they would fight for their Chapter and the Emperor. If these creatures did not already know enough to fear the Space Wolves, then by the end of the day they would.

  Serrated jaws clamped on Mikal’s arms, although they had less of an impact than the chainsword had moments before. Mikal threw the creature aside, and blew the guts out of another with his storm bolter. In their power armour, the Space Wolves were nearly impervious to the creatures’ blows, but the sheer weight of the attackers’ numbers threatened to drag Mikal and the Wolf Guard down.

  Mikal redoubled his efforts, giving the wulfen its head and letting the anger and fury within his breast guide him. He was a berserker, slashing and smashing his foes. Mikal tore through tails and teeth, heads and hearts, pushing himself to the limits to overcome his enemies.

  The Wolf Guard were hard-pressed. Mikal saw his men pulled down under the horde of aliens to his left and right. They still moved in their armour and he had every hope that they still lived, but the tide of beasts was too much. They could not hold.

  The ground shook violently. Mikal didn’t notice at first, thinking that it was more explosions. Then screeching started from the horde of creatures. Several hissed and turned to face something down the street.

  A large shadow blocked out the sun and one of the beasts fighting Mikal unlocked its jaws and leapt away.

  A giant metal claw flung the bodies of three lizard creatures skyward against the smoke– and flame-filled heavens. Mikal felt his blood boil with pride. The shadow belonged to a massive venerable Dreadnought. Towering over the enemy, Gymir the Ice-Fisted reached down to slay them in massive swathes. The mighty Dreadnought had come to the aid of his fellow Space Wolves.

  ‘Die, xenos scum! Face the fury of Fenris,’ Gymir boomed through his array of speakers.

  Gymir continued to wield his power claw like a scythe, moving it back and forth, and cutting down the creatures in a gory harvest. Bones snapped as the Dreadnought unleashed his might against the beasts. The mere presence of the ancient machine shook the aliens, who stared and hissed at the machine in fear, frusUation and rage. Ultimately, fear won out over the other emotions, and the surviving lizards broke off their attack and scattered in all directions. Gymir stood, surrounded by mounds of bodies, looking for more of the creatures to fight. Finding none, he turned with a whirr to face Mikal.

  ‘Are you well, my brothers?’ asked Gymir.

  Aye,’ answered Mikal.

  As the Wolf Guard clambered to their feet and reformed, Mikal noticed something unusual. The bodies of the Dark Angels lay shredded. Mikal walked over and knelt down beside the body of one of the fallen Marines.

  During the attack, some of the creatures had opened up the Space Marine’s power armour and dug their

  claws into his flesh. Mikal felt a chill run through him. Chunks had been dug out of the Dark Angel. Organs had been removed, including the Marine’s gene-seed. He checked the other bodies; all of them showed the same signs. The beasts had been collecting the gene-seed of the Emperor’s finest.

  Mikal looked over at the Wolf Guard and then up to Gymir. ‘The creatures stole the Dark Angels’ gene-seed.’ he roared.

  Mikal’s comm crackled to life. ‘Wolf Guard Mikal, this is Lieutenant Markham. We have reptos entering the city in untold numbers.’

  Above the planet, the Fist ofRuss hung in space and for the moment her guns lay silent. The Dark Angels’ fleet backed away from the Space Wolves’ ships while Thunderhawks from the planet below docked with their parent vessels.

  From his bridge, sitting in his stone command chair, Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist could not believe his eyes. The battle runes indicated the Dark Angels’ retreat, as did the holographic projections of the battle. The Dark Angels were breaking off their attack. The ship’s herald called to him, ‘M’lord, we are receiving hails from the Dark Angels’ battle-barge.’

  Berek waited for a moment. He couldn’t believe that Ragnar had negotiated something like this. He knew that the young lad had courage to spare and a zeal for battle, but Ragnar wasn’t a diplomat unless his time with the Wolfblade had changed him quite a bit.

  The Wolf Lord’s men held their posts, waiting for orders. They would follow Berek into the Eye of Terror

  itself if he so commanded. The Wolf Lord stood up. ‘Herald, accept the transmission from the Dark Angels.’

  The herald touched a rune and two of the carved wolfs’ heads opened their jaws to reveal hidden speakers.

  A cold metallic voice came over the speaker. ‘Space Wolf commander, this is Interrogator-Chaplain Vargas of the Vinco Redemptor. We are withdrawing our forces from your planet. We trust that you have the strength to keep Chaos in check, now that you are here in numbers. We have stopped our assaults on your vessels, but be assured, we will defend ourselves if you do not break off your attack immediately.’

  Berek cleared his throat and took the comms console. The ship’s herald stepped back. ‘This is Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist, interrogator-chaplain. I’m sure you realise that I’m familiar with your Chapter’s history of treachery and duplicity’

  ‘Just as we are familiar with your reputation as ignorant barbarians,’ replied Vargas.

  ‘Good,’ said Berek baring his fangs. ‘Since we understand one another, you are retreating, and you are asking us not to fire upon you. I can understand that, since we’ve nearly crippled your precious battle-barge and bled you white on the surface. We will stand down. After all, I don’t want to leave the Imperium without one of its Chapters of Space Marines, even the Dark Angels, but my men might like to hear you announcing your retreat.’

  ‘I will not rise to your bait, Space Wolf. We will only fire if fired upon. We have accomplished our purpose.

  The rest of the mess is yours, Wolf Lord. I also do not wish to leave mankind without several of its defenders, even when they’ve let their territory be infiltrated by Chaos.’

  ‘Good, so you are retreating,’ said Berek.

  ‘We will withdraw once we have retrieved all of our men from the surface,’ answered Interrogator-Chaplain Vargas.

  The battle in space was over.

  The members of the Wolfblade made their way through Hyades’s jungles back towards the city. Ragnar supported Gabriella, while he, Torin and Haegr kept up as fast a pace as they could. Choker vines lashed out at them, and they splattered through swarms of buzzing beedes.

  One of the trees tried to trip up Haegr with its roots. The giant Space Wolf swung his hammer around and smashed through the living wood. The entire tree shuddered. ‘And don’t try that again,’ Haegr warned it.

  When Torin, Haegr and Ragnar burst from the jungle into the kill zone, several columns of smoke and clouds of dust greeted them. Mounds of broken rockcrete maned the once invincible walls of Lethe. One of the gates hung open. Thunderous explosions echoed from the city. The battle hadn’t ended yet.

  We’ve made it to the city. Now we just need to get through the fighting to the palace and find a shutde.’ said Gabriella. She still looked tired, but she had regained her air of command.

  Ragnar’s comm crackled to life. This is Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist. Ragnar, lad, if you’re out there, answer.’

  This is Ragnar. Have the Dark Angels retreated?’ Ragna
r was curious since the explosions hadn’t stopped.

  ‘They are retreating. I’m impressed, young one. Only one thing prevents us from removing the Dark Angels. The Hyades defence forces keep firing on them. The governor doesn’t answer his comm, and well, I know about the commander. Where is Lady Gabriella? Aren’t you her bodyguard? I need someone to order the planetary defenders to stand down against the Dark Angels.’ the Wolf Lord chuckled. ‘Mikal went out onto the battlefield, but I’m having trouble raising him. Do you have Lady Gabriella?’

  ‘Yes, Wolf Lord. She is here with us,’ Ragnar replied.

  ‘Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist is on the comm. He asks you to order the Hyades planetary defence force to stand down against the Dark Angels.’ said Ragnar.

  Gabriella leaned over to speak into the comm system. ‘This is Lady Gabriella of House Belisarius, Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist. I will immediately give the order to cease hostilities against the Dark Angels.’

  ‘Good to hear your voice, my lady.’ said the Wolf Lord. ‘We’re still ready to defend House Belisarius. I understand that you have a xenos problem on the ground, but I think it’s time to start by removing the Dark Angels.’

  ‘House Belisarius will not keep them here. I’m giving the orders now.’

  ‘Aye. Berek Thunderfist, out.’ responded the Wolf Lord.

  Gabriella adjusted the comm codes. ‘Hyades planetary defence forces, this is Lady Gabriella of House

  Belisarius. You are ordered to cease hostilities against the invading Dark Angels. They have agreed to withdraw. The Space Wolves will help restore order. Governor Pelias and Commander Cadmus have fallen, and as of this moment, you will take all orders from Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist or myself. Again, cease all attacks on the Dark Angels immediately.’

  ‘Now, we just need to listen.’ said Torin. ‘If the guns stop, you did it m’lady. If not, then we’re in for a long bout of fighting.’

  Without saying anything, the four stood in the kill zone and listened. The regular blasts of the guns slowed, and then stopped. The only sounds Ragnar could hear were servos in the Space Marines’ armour and the ever-present buzz of beetles.

  ‘They stopped.’ said Ragnar.

  ‘Pity.’ said Haegr, ‘I would have preferred to thrash the lot of them.’

  ‘Now, we just have to survive the reptos.’ said Ragnar, ‘and with Berek’s company here, we will.’

  ‘Lady Gabriella.’ offered Torin, ‘let’s get you to the House Belisarius shuttle, assuming it’s in one piece, and safely off this planet.’

  ‘Finally, Torin has a good idea.’ said Haegr.

  The four of them clambered over the remnants of a wall and entered the city.

  The Wolfblade’s trek to the city centre revealed the full extent of the devastation. Buildings lay shattered and broken. Craters pockmarked the roads, and the landscape more resembled a volcanic badland than a city. Despite the devastation to the landscape, the real

  horror came from the number of bodies lying strewn everywhere.

  Bodies lay scattered, rotting in the ruins. Some of the corpses wore the colours of the planetary defence force, but far more were civilians. The stench of death and decay burned Ragnar’s nostrils. The dead had looks of pain and horror on their faces. Ragnar had a new respect for the terror that Space Marines could inspire in their foes. Lethe had suffered horribly, there was nothing but ruins and flames in all directions. Torin kept pausing and checking his auspex to make certain that they were heading in the proper direction.

  ‘By the Emperor.’ said Gabriella, as she stared at the limp body of a child at the edge of a crater, ‘what evil guided Cadmus?’

  ‘The worst kind of evil, Gabriella,’ said Ragnar, ‘Chaos… and not only Chaos, but the work of our worst enemies, the Thousand Sons.’

  The mere thought of the Thousand Sons made Ragnar’s anger rise within him. Throughout his entire career as a Space Wolf, they had proven to be the most relentless of foes. The legends all spoke of the Thousand Sons as the greatest enemies of the Space Wolves, and Ragnar would vouch for every one of those stories. The passionate rivalry between the Space Wolves and the Dark Angels was a mere shadow of the shared hate between the Space Wolves and the Thousand Sons.

  For Ragnar, battling the Thousand Sons was personal. He had served with Berek when he had last fought the Thousand Sons and defeated them using

  the Spear of Russ. How ironic that he had come face to face with more of that traitor Chapter while Berek’s great company fought the Dark Angels both in orbit and on the surface of Hyades.

  Still, it was a day of victory. The Dark Angels were leaving, and although they had encountered Chaos Marines, the members of the Wolfblade had defeated them. Cadmus lay dead, his body in possession of the Dark Angels.

  The ground shook. Then, it shook again and again… and again. The sound of the explosions kept growing in volume, one after another, after another. A column of white flame burst from the street in front of the Space Wolves. It became a wall of white fire, extending in both directions and rising to nearly thirty metres. The scent of burning promethium was unmistakable.

  ‘Take cover,’ yelled Torin.

  The next blast threw all of them off their feet, even Haegr. The ground was scalding hot. The explosions weren’t like any they had experienced so far in the battle.

  Ragnar took cover with the others behind a large still-standing wall with an overhang from what had once been the second floor of a building. Now, it was shelter against a burning rain. He tried to comprehend what was happening. The aerial bombardment had stopped some time ago, what could be causing these explosions?

  The smell of promethium was so strong that he wondered if the refineries were blowing up. He could even taste the fuel on his tongue.

  The explosions continued in all directions and smoke billowed upwards from cracks in the streets. The blasts were coming from below.

  ‘What is happening?’ asked Haegr.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said Gabriella.

  “With the smell of promethium everywhere…’ started Ragnar.

  ‘The only thing that I can think of is that something in the refineries, the tunnels or the mines has gone terribly wrong,’ finished Torin.

  Gabriella looked at the members of her Wolfblade, and then settled her gaze on Ragnar. ‘We’ve got to get to the shuttle now,’ she said.

  ‘I know. If the promethium has ignited,’ said Ragnar, ‘we’ll cook if we stay here.’

  ‘I see something ahead,’ said Haegr. ‘Follow me.’

  ‘Be careful.’ said Torin.

  Ragnar saw Haegr’s target. A Chimera sat quietly in the street with its ramp down. The bodies of the men who had once occupied the vehicle lay scattered around the ramp. Bolter holes in the bodies and the distinctive cuts of chainswords indicated that these men had encountered the Dark Angels and things had not gone well.

  Torin went to the main hatch, which appeared to have been forced open. He reached down into the driver’s compartment and pulled out a charred corpse. ‘They killed the drivers too.’ he said, scooping out another blackened body and throwing it down to the pavement with a wet thunk. The stench was awful. ‘I’ll make this thing work. I’m driving. With your permission, m’lady, I believe that this vehicle

  will allow us to reach the shuttle much more safely.’ he said.

  ‘Take us there, Torin. Let’s go inside, away from this burning debris.’ said Gabriella. Wisps of ash and promethium gently fell from the sky, contrasting with the continuing eruptions.

  ‘You want me to get in one of these, again?’ asked Haegr.

  ‘Yes.’ said Ragnar. He wanted no delays.

  Torin shook his head and climbed into the front of the vehicle. Haegr swore upon the private parts of Fenrisian wolves, but he crouched and angled his way inside.

  Static crackled over Ragnar’s comm, and he cursed under his breath. He banged his fist against the driver’s compartment. ‘Torin, I can’t get a signal again.’


  ‘I suspect we have interference.’ replied Torin.

  Ragnar wasn’t in the mood for Torin’s ability to state the obvious, although he knew his battle-brother faced the task of driving the Chimera through the exploding hell that Lethe had become. He had to think for a moment.

  ‘Torin, what about the Chimera’s comm system? Could I access that? Shouldn’t it have more signal?’ asked Ragnar.

  ‘Try it yourself. There’s a comm station right next to – your seat.’ said Torin.

  Ragnar activated the comms on the tank as it rumbled through the debris towards the palace. Gabriella had strapped herself in, but Haegr was fighting with his seat. ‘Just how do ogryns ever fit in these things?’ he asked.

  ‘Ogryns are smaller than mighty Haegr, I suspect.’ said Ragnar, finding the heart to joke. Inside, he prayed to the Emperor to let the comm work. All he received was static.

  ‘By Morkai’s Axe.’ said Ragnar, ‘I can’t contact Berek.’ He shook the comm, frustrated with the constant signal interference adding to everything else falling apart around them.

  A crackle came over the system. Ragnar had a signal. It was weak, but it was a signal nonetheless.

  ‘This is Ragnar to Wolf Lord Berek. Can you hear me?’ asked Ragnar.

  ‘This is the Fist of Russ, Ragnar, ship’s herald here. The Wolf Lord is busy.’ came the reply.

  The Chimera struck something in one of the roads, bounced, and then got very hot. Haegr cursed again as his head hit the roof of the cramped transport chamber. ‘We had better get there soon.’ he growled.

  ‘I need to talk to the Wolf Lord. All this isn’t just the work of the traitor Cadmus.’ said Ragnar.

  ‘This is Berek.’ said the voice of the Wolf Lord over the comm. Wolfblade Ragnar, the events on the planet below are the work of Chaos. Since you have Lady Gabriella with you, leave the surface of Hyades as soon as you can.’

  ‘Someone ignited the promethium mines.’ said Ragnar. ‘Everything’s exploding.’

  ‘Heh, lad.’ said Berek. ‘You should see the view from space.’