Two Scouts and a Dreadnought
The neophytes squatted on the ridge, overlooking the ensuing battle, some had rifles and were taking pot shots at fleeing cultists, as per orders from their comm-links, others had not yet been granted these holy weapons, and instead helped to take part in scouting routines and had with them various combat knifes and other such close quarters gear.
None had expected this battle to be long or hard fought, the chapter saw it as an excellent training exercise however and dispatched both a complement of marines to help the imperial forces, and many neophytes to scout and to learn, all it had taken was a devastating jump-pack charge to break the front line of the cultists and start driving them back.
-The cultists have some armor-
The comm crackled to life
-Requesting assistance-
Scout Sergeant Liandies used his scope and soon found the ramshackle machine, cobbled together, it was deflecting shots from the relatively small arms their assault brothers had with them.
"Honored Vördr, will you lend us your fury?" The Sergeant asked, turning to the dreadnought which stood over them, his tremendous form was humbling of the neophytes, but it was for his soul they were with him. Something seemed wrong however, the dreadnought was normally relatively chatty, expelling wisdom and advice, knowledge of the chapter and their rites.
"My lord Throu, are you there?" The Sergeant continued, in a worried manner.
A low, almost painful hum emitted from the hulking machine.
"YES...CANNOT..SEE."
The scouts had stopped to listen and watch the ancient warrior.
"NEED EYES....AIM ME."
Neophyte Makaell appeared from behind one of Throu's great legs, he was Throu's eyes, he spent the most time with the dreadnought, it was quite an honor for the young scout to help Throu, often these helper-scouts go on to become great assets to the chapter, spending time learning from such a revered warrior often saw to that.
Makaell brought up a target finder and aimed it towards the cultist's vehicles, the immortal soul inside the dreadnought had long lost the use of his eyes, he was aided by the sarcophagus itself, and for such a ranged shot, Makaell improved his vision, however this seemed to cause discomfort for old Throu, and a definite grunt of pain was mechanically voiced.
"I SEE" The dreadnought's torso moved, the mighty lascannons attached to his hull twitched and hummed as Throu found his target "MAY YOUR SIN...BE PURGED."
The lascannons spoke with the righteous fury of the Adeptus Astartes, and the shot was clear and pure, illuminating the darkened battlefield, cutting away the fog and pollution of the planet. Many guardsmen who were advancing in the wake of the Marines assault stopped to watch the spectacle. The cultists machine erupted in a mighty explosion, knocking a rather zealous nearby marine over, and sending many cultists flying, this seemed to signal a full rout from the cultists, who took off in all directions, terrified at the ferocity of the marines and their firepower.
The assault marines, almost pre-emptively jumped again, over the hill the wreckage of the tank was sat upon, to carry on their righteous work. This also carried them out of sight of the scouts of Throu, who were now being relayed thanks along with orders to stand down. And orders to begin advancing into the city, to catch up with the imperial forces.
"FIRST BREAK..YOU HAVE DONE....THE CHAPTER PROUD."
The neophytes checked their weapons and gathered around Throu, he was likely to talk about the battle or what was to come, he seemed to like lecturing the scouts.
"SERGEANT...I WILL TEACH...GIVE ME...A BOWL AND YOUR CANTEEN."
Liandies stepped forward, removing his canteen from his side, wanting to see what this was all for, one of his scouts threw a bowl at him, half broken and dusty, probably just found on the floor.
"I have them Vördr Throu."
"GOOD...PLACE BOWL ON FLOOR... GATHER BLIND ONES... WE WILL WATCH... GUESS FLOW OF WATER...GOOD PRACTICE OF MIND."
The scouts murmured between themselves and moved closer, all getting into sight of the bowl and Sergeant Liandies.
"SCOUT ANTOVII... IF YOU SCOFF AGAIN...CHAPLAIN WILL BE INFORMED OF YOUR ARROGANCE...AND DISREGARD...CHAPLAINS DO NOT ENJOY...WASTE OF POTENTIAL"
Liandies cursed to himself; Antovii was always disbelieving of the chapter's abilities, but if he was here, he had to be worthy, he was more surprised he hadn't heard Antovii himself.
"POUR YOUR CANTEEN SERGEANT."
Liandies upturned his canteen, slowly, the eager eyes of the neophytes waiting for the flow of water, waiting to figure out how it would land and form in the bowl, he kept turning, and turning, until the canteen was upside-down.
Antovii piped up from the back of the group "Sir, there is no water in your canteen?" The scouts again murmured to themselves, some had even started to take their own canteens to hand to the Sergeant, until Throu's booming voice broke the relative silence.
"EXACTLY ANTOVII...YOU DID NOT EXPECT NOTHING...SOMETIMES OUR EYES...CURSE US...DO NOT OVERSEE...THINK TOO...SOMETIMES THERE IS NO DEEPER WEB...SOMETIMES IT IS OUR ILLUSION...SOMETIMES WE ARE WRONG."
The scouts were not used to being told they were not the unbeatable fury of the emperor given form. They shifted, somewhat uncomfortably, at the notion. They had all heard the chaplains talk about the glory of death and glory and their gifts, but they had not mentioned they could be wrong.
"NOW YOU TRUST...YOUR BROTHERS...NOW...WHEN THE CANTEEN IS TURNED... YOU WILL THINK... IT MAY BE EMPTY...WHEN YOU GAIN YOUR SIGHT...BLIND ONES...YOU MUST TRUST AND WATCH YOUR BROTHERS...IN THAT WAY...WE ARE STRONGER...TOGETHER...IN OUR GIFT...AND IN OUR CURSE...NOW COME...BLIND ONES...WE STILL HAVE A BATTLE...TO FIGHT."
"Antovii, take point and head down the ridge, we will be behind you shortly, no noise scouts, we don't know what is out there." Liandires barked his orders to the scouts, watching them regain excitement and movement, when they were out of sight, leaving Liandires, Makaell and old Throu stood upon the ridge, Liandries turned to the dreadnought
"Lord Throu, how did you know my canteen was empty?"
"YOU PUSH YOUR SQUAD...AND YOURSELF...THIS PLACE IS ACRID...AND POLLUTED...WATER IS...NECESSARY...YOU THEREFORE...WOULD NOT BRING WATER...IN YOUR THIRST...YOU GAIN STRENGTH..."
Liandires stood in astonishment
"..BUT YOU ARE WRONG...AND DENSE...IF SOMETHING HAPPENED...YOU WOULD NEED WATER...YOU WOULD DIE...WOULD WASTE...POTENTIAL."
"I-I understand Lord, I will correct my mistakes"
"WE COULD HAVE LEVELED...THIS CITY...BUT NOT ALL...ARE LOST...WE MUST...PROTECT...POTENTIAL."
Makaellonce again made himself visible "They say the Vördr have lost their sight, Sir, in truth, they see more than we could possibly hope for" He rested a hand on Throu's leg armor, patting it, before the dreadnought walked off, after the now distant scouts.
"Throu! Watch out for the rock!" Makaell exclaimed, jogging after the dreadnought and coming to pace beside him.
"YOU ARE NOT... A SITTER MAKAELL...NOW WALK BEHIND ME...'LESS YOU WANT TO DIE."
Makaell listened, and moved in-line, as they continued, the cliff edge beside the dreadnought, Makaell's old position, abruptly crumbled away, down the cliffside to the ground, a considerable distance below.
Liandires watched this all happen, smiled to himself and reattached his canteen. Making a note to fill it later, he hoisted his rifle to a comfortable position behind his shoulder and began to run after his squad. According to the comm-chatter the city was not falling without a fight despite their Assault brother's efforts. It would seem his squad would get a chance to use their shotguns and sidearms, and it gave old Throu another chance to teach them all a thing or two, and unleash some of the emperors fury.