Warhammer 40k Fanfiction - Hero Imperator (English)

Chap. 6 - Day 17 (Part 5) - Helplessness

Accepting the news was impossible for me. ¨What kind of heresy was this?¨ I remember thinking. We had managed to hold the front all this time, so there was no possible way they could have overtaken us. He could hear distant artillery fire. Both in the center and the barely audible ones in the right sector. This defensive line was still standing. So... how the hell did the greenskins even get past us?

I simply refused to believe such a thing. For a second, my mind was consumed by the negative, but such words were something I simply couldn't ignore. However, when I turned around, and the artillery flashes stopped between reloads, I could see the harsh reality.

The silhouette of the capital city rose on the horizon, at the same time that a heartbreaking amber tone clarified the night panorama. There was no doubt. The city had fallen, and was now a victim of fire and death.

As? Because? When? Thousands of questions bombarded my mind, at the same time that my body felt weak, and I would have collapsed if I had not held on to the wall of the trench. So much effort. So much sacrifice... In vain.

Even by writing, I am not able to calm the anger that has persisted since that moment. The men and women around me who belonged to the militia collapsed in suffering, and a sea of ​​tears and prayers to the Emperor begged for forgiveness and asked for mercy. The reserve soldiers gritted their teeth, helpless in defeat, but not defeated like us. The Krieg members remained silent, respecting our pain.

I was dejected. Unable to react. I could only look at the dozens of faces that were around me, disoriented and destroyed, begging me for an answer that would calm their hearts. But I couldn't give them what they wanted, because I was as shocked as they were. I don't remember having cried again since my childhood... But that day, some tears of helplessness slipped from my eyes. And everyone who followed me collapsed when they saw me in that state. There was nothing we could do... Nothing.

— Commissioner, of the withdrawal order. —

The messenger from Krieg reminded me of the reason for his arrival. I stared at him, not with fury, but with bewilderment. I was in no position to give an answer, and my mouth had simply disconnected from my brain. The only thing I could give him in response was the erratic nod of my head. An iota of the little sanity that was barely keeping me standing at that moment.

I couldn't do anything except listen as a member of the Krieg guard assumed command and ordered the retreat. It was Lieutenant Luther, whom I met just a few hours ago. I was unable to act coherently, not even move my feet at will. A reserve soldier had to grab me by the shoulder and drag me to the rear. Not because I wanted to avoid it, but because I was not able to control my body.

I remember looking back, and seeing the same scene with almost every member of the Cantus militia. Broken men and women, carried by members of the reserves and the Krieg corps. A pitiful funeral march of corpses still alive, but destroyed in mind and spirit. As dejected, as I was.

Once in the safe area behind the command post, we could see an esplanade where hundreds of Valkyries landed and took off without rest, taking as many troops as possible to the safety of the battleships in orbit. The reserve fleet managed to penetrate the Ork formation, and had managed to establish a safe point above the surface, where an uninterrupted flow of transport ships ascended and descended without rest. Flying through the constant enemy fire that rose from the ground.

The reserve soldier who was carrying me led me inside a Valkyrie, placed me on a seat and fastened my seat belt. Something that I was not capable of doing in the state he was in, and with the little bit of sanity that I had left, I saw him leave the transport, while others did the same with Henry, Erik, Mason, and many other members of the militia.