Warhammer 40k: Helldiver (Tale of the Guardsman)

Chapter 2: Helldiver

Darkness. It was all I saw. As my body stood still and the smell of dirt and blood filled the air. The sound of the battlefield echoed within my ears. Orders being shouted, Lasguns and Bolters being fired at a rapid pace, and the sounds of footprints all around. The next thing I heard was a Chainblade near me, followed by the screaming.....of a xeno.

After the noise stopped, my eyes opened and a fellow guardsman stood over me with her blade in hand. As I look to the left of me, the pointy eared xeno was cut in two.

"Get up, guardsman! We have to retreat to the trenches!"

She shouted, swinging the blood off her sword and grabbing a laspistol from behind her.

Now that I had a good look of her, she had fair skin with purple eyes. Her hair was blonde, which was in the ponytail. A Cadian, no doubt.

"Can you stand, guardsman?"

"I...I can."

I said, grabbing my weapon nearby and attempting to stand.

"Well I do not mean to rush, but you better fragging hurry up!"

She said, running to the trenches behind me.

I proceeded to follow suit, running across the muddy terrain surrounded by holes and craters from artillery fire. As we are running, we are being fired upon by the xenos. As I look behind me I noticed that two of them was following with only blades in hand. Flaming hair with symbols on their mask, what seems to be pearl white with a green cloth in between their legs.

I took my rifle and started firing behind me. But with every shot, they seem to ignore it. Deflecting it even. And as we got closer to the trench, so to did they.

"Keep running, we're almost there!"

She shouted, looking at me.

"Do not stop!"

I nodded as I continue to fire behind me, trying to stall for time. But the the xenos were drawing ever closer.

"Lieutenant Carscallen! Guardsman! Get down, now!"

Scream one of the soldiers from the trenches, as they aimed their heavy bolters.

The now known lieutenant grabbed me and pushed my down alongside her. The sound of bolter rounds then echoed around us. Alongside the sounds of armor and flesh being teared apart. The roar of the xenos follow suit. Then....silence.

"On your feet, trooper! We are too close to the line for us to die here!"

"Yes, lieutenant!"

I said, scrambling to get up and retrieve my gear. As my fellow guardsman fire their Lasguns in droves, me and the lieutenant finally gets within the trench. Falling on our backs. Breathing heavily, I try to regain my strength. My will to fight. But...as this is my first day...I feel nothing but fear.

"Hey, guardsman! What's the matter with you!"

One of my fellow guardsmen told me, loading a Las and handing it to me.

"Get back into the fight! We need to kill those green-skins!"

"U-understood!"

I said, grabbing the gun and following the example. But...

"Wait...the green-skins?"