Warhammer 40k Fanfiction - Hero Imperator (English)

Chap. 17 - Day 74 (Part 8) - Ceramita's Hope

The silence after the explosions was overwhelming. The constant waiting was tedious, while curtains of smoke and dust were slowly blown away by the gentle beating of the wind. Nobody said anything. Nobody moved anything. All of them, fearful faces looking ahead, with the tips of their rifles pointing towards the last position of our enemies.

Beside me, the wheeze of a blowtorch caught my attention. The young doctor, covered in bandages full of blood, resorted to a desperate last resort. The sharp blade of his combat knife became the catalyst for the flames of a blowtorch, and the burning metal cauterized the Astarte's wound, releasing an eerie sound and an overwhelming aroma of burnt flesh. Plus, that demigod didn't even complain about the pain. Even on the eve of his possible death, he appeared weak, even though his somewhat slow movements gave me to understand that the blood loss had reached a critical point.

—This is counterproductive.

The voice of Black Shield Nullus, located a couple of meters away in our same trench, caught my attention. Immediately, I looked up, and noticed that the black-clad Astarte had his visor focused in front of him. And instinctively, I did the same. Although I would have preferred not to have done so.

The last traces of dust and smoke vanished before our eyes, and a first-born terror settled in my chest. Fear for the lives of my soldiers. Fear for my own life. It was supplanted by a much greater fear. Fear for humanity.

Before us stood the enormous horde of greenskins. Those meganobles, who did not advance at all, and who made our last artillery hope look ridiculous. Then... I understood.

I understood the true danger that this horde posed. The legend of Armaggedon rewriting itself before my eyes. An ork force where numbers and brutality were accompanied by a terrifying intelligence for a greenskin.

They knew it. Whoever was in charge of those greenskins was able to read my movements... No... In fact... No... It wasn't just that. The burning of the city to attract us. The ambush on the cliffs. The attack on our command posts. Cut our communications. The main force five kilometers away to divert our attention...

It was all a decoy.

It was all a hoax.

We were dancing in the palm of his hand this whole time.

Our forces had taken the constant onslaught again and again. Our casualties were not critical, but enemy casualties were almost non-existent. We weren't even their target. They were just pushing us aside. Like a nuisance in your way. I understood it perfectly. This front was nothing more than the playground of some mastermind on the other side of the battlefield.

So... Where was the main event taking place? Where were the most important events taking place? North? Coronel's troops are strong, but I would have a hard time believing it. The central front? It would be the most logical thing to think, but the largest number of the Emperor's Angels are concentrated there. There is no point in attacking the best defended place... or perhaps... Were the Black Templars the target of these orks all along?

—They're moving!

I snap out of my thoughts when Fordo's voice shakes to my right. I hadn't seen him since we charged in to rescue the angels, and I hadn't had time to worry about his absence. At least, I'm glad to know that we're still in this together... Even if it wasn't going to last long.

Returning my gaze to the front, I could see the curtain of dust that now rose behind the ork formations. They were already coming. Now yes. I'm not even able to imagine how the greenskins knew, but now we had no possible way to stop them. The only thing we had left were our rifles, three Astartes, and our Faith in the Emperor. And to make matters worse, I was unaware of the situation in the rest of the sectors since I left the improvised command post.