1.20- Warzone Caesaria: The Wrath of the Morning Star
Warzone Caesaria: Wrath of the Morning Star
Celestia calmly strode toward the center of the battleship, a squad of her Companions following close behind. The battle in space was over; strike cruisers and other escort craft were busy mopping up what remained of resistance, pounding the ork fleet into scrap that not even the Greenskins could use. Troop transports and other landing craft were already descending into Caesaria IV’s atmosphere, while heavier battle barges and cruisers moved in to provide orbital strikes when needed.
Celestia would be using a more direct method to reach the enemy.
“Status update.” she said as she strode into the main alcove, several squads of her Companions having already assembled.
“The xenos have started a major push from the north,” one of the leading Custodes said. “Lord Corax has ordered the Minotaurs to deploy in force in the south to hold the rest of the Greenskins there, but we lost contact with him soon after.”
“Most likely he is moving to strike the northern thrust; the Greenskins spotting a Primarch there may confuse them enough to cause a split in their forces.” Celestia replied. “And our forces on the ground?”
“Several armored and infantry regiments have moved forward to stop the attack, but they are hard pressed. Even with our reinforcements it might be some time before the front can stabilize.”
“That then is where we will make our presence known. Three squadrons will accompany me to strike against the Greenskins; the rest will deploy to the south to assist the Minotaurs.” the leading Custode nodded before Celestia stopped in the center of the room, her Companions forming up in a loose group behind her. “Have you located the main command post for the Guard’s defenses?”
“We have.” A nearby console lit up, displaying a map of Caesaria’s main hive. “Lord General Kastner’s headquarters is in Sector 230, near the main industrial road. The Greenskin presence is lighter in that area, but that may just be to throw off our focus.
“Alert them that I will be arriving shortly. In the meantime, deploy yourselves towards the heaviest of the fighting. I shall bring up our reinforcements for the main assault.” there was a pause before Celestia spoke again. “I wish you luck in your endeavors, my friend; may the enemy not find you wanting.”
“As with you, Empress.” Celestia closed her eyes, flexing her hands as she called up her power around her Companions. The battleship could easily provide a teleport for her and her Companions, but Celestia felt that her arrival on the battlefield needed a more... “personal” touch.
One moment, Celestia and her Companions were standing in the center of the battleship. Next, they were standing just outside a small collection of tents and makeshift barracks, surrounding Guard soldiers jumping back in surprise at the platoon of golden warriors that materialized in their midst. It was a testament to their training that they did not panic, though many were clearly shaken as they dropped to their knees in reverence.
“Please, save your praise for when we are victorious.” she said. The Guardsmen nervously rose to their feet, still avoiding eye contact with Celestia and the Custodes. Setting that thought aside, Celestia strode towards the command tent, more Guardsmen giving way and kneeling as she walked.
The tent itself was rather cramped, with Celestia pausing outside lest she cause it to collapse upon entering. Inside, communications officers rushed to and fro as they relayed information and orders to units, not even pausing in the presence of the Empress. Celestia waited patiently, though some of her Custodes seemed to be on edge as they stood behind her.
Finally, one of the Guardsmen happened to look up as he passed by. He froze, hands trembling as he took in what stood before him. “E-E-Empress?” he stammered.
“Apologies for the distraction, but I would like a situation report of the battle,” she said. “Please send your commanding officer out when it is convenient.” The Guardsman choked, but hurried off to his duties. Celestia waited several more moments before an officer wearing a greatcoat and peaked hat stepped out of the tent. He took a moment to size up Celestia before speaking.
“If I may speak freely, my lady,” he said, still avoiding direct eye contact. “But I honestly thought that Morillo and the others were trying to make a fool of me when they told me the Emperor had returned as a woman.”
“You would not be the first to question that fact.” Celestia said. “But that is a matter for another time. Now, what is our status at the front?”
“Troubled.” Kastner leaned back into the tent, barking for a map and table to be brought out. Celestia stepped back to give the Guardsmen some room. “The attack in the south is obviously a feint; the ork warlord, Skullkrusha, has a custom Titan-class vehicle that it uses to lead attacks, and my reconnaissance sweeps have detected it in the north.”
“Is it possible that the beast may have placed it there to draw our forces away?” she asked.
“The ork is cunning, but not that cunning.” the general looked down at the map. “Unfortunately, it also has a fondness for hit and run attacks against our lines; I only have three armored divisions, two mobile infantry divisions, and three artillery units remaining to block the attack in the north. The orks outnumber us by several orders of magnitude, even with your reinforcements.”
“The orks do not have the most powerful psyker to have ever lived on their side.” Celestia countered.
“Very true, but even then many Guardsmen and Astartes will be seeing their last battle today.” There was a pause as Celestia studied the map. The two million Guardsmen she did have could be enough to blunt this attack and perhaps roll back the lines significantly, but even the best laid plans would incur horrendous casualties and stall her Crusade several months, while most likely drawing in more orks to the system.
And I thought merely using my powers were rusty...
“What of these fortifications here?” Celestia asked, pointing towards a space between the main road and the projected path of the orks’ attack, where a line of trenches and bunkers had been drawn.
“We initially used it as a defensive line, but the Greenskins somehow managed to flank us; I lost two Infantry regiments before artillery and bombing forced the xenos back. We have not had the men to move and retake the position.”
“We do now.” Celestia stepped back. “I will lead our forces to that point and fortify. Even an ork can realize when its forces are in danger of being flanked, and my presence may be enough to draw the main brunt of the attack. If all goes well, I will slay this ‘Skullkrusha’ while the rest of your forces attack from the rear and crush the Greenskins.”
“That is a risky move. I am unsure if we could bring the necessary strength to completely rout them in the manner you have suggested.” Kastner paused for a moment, studying the map as Celestia waited. “I think I see how it can be done. What forces will you require?”
“Call to the current reinforcements and have six divisions moved up to reform the line. I will ensure that they are well supported by tanks and Astartes.” Celestia looked up to Kastner. “The rest, I leave in your hands. Once the Greenskins have attacked my lines, move your forces forward to pin them down.”
“As you command, Empress.” the general saluted before continuing. “I swear on my life, we shall not disappoint you today.”
“No doubt. Relay my orders, and I shall conduct our forces to the battle.” General Kastner saluted once more before ducking back into the tent, barking orders while Celestia stepped away to contact the fleet.
“News, Empress?” the voice over the vox caster asked.
“I will be taking a force up to a defensive line due east from the city,” she said. “Have the Imperial Fists deploy forces to prepare the line, and make sure that the rest of my Companions are ready to arrive on my command.”
“As you command, Empress.” a brief pause. “You shall not find us wanting in this coming battle.”
“Battle?” Celestia chuckled. “If all goes well, we will win this war before the day is done.”
...
Celestia could have teleported to the line, but marching at the head of the Imperial Guard column, with her Custodes following behind, would act as a most proper boost to morale and trust. The journey was arduous for many, as ork attacks and Imperial counter attacks had all but destroyed many of the side roads and paths that they could have taken to the line. Still, the Guard pressed on, smashing through whatever obstacles might have stood in their way en-route to the enemy.
Ahead, Celestia could hear sporadic bursts of gunfire. Upon cresting the first of a few artificial hills, she saw that it came from the Imperial Fists digging in along the line. The burning wrecks of a few ork flyers dotted the field along the line, felled by a dug-in Stalker flakk tank. Tactical and Devastator Marines had spread themselves along the line as best they could, waiting for any sign of ork presence beyond their scout vehicles.
The line itself was almost a mile long, with two trenches running almost parallel to one another. The trenchline bent almost halfway along its length, heading towards the northwest and what Celestia guessed would be the main line. Most of its pillboxes had been bombed, but there remained quite a few gun nests and deeper pits to use for heavy weapons and tanks. Yes, this will be quite useful.
“Quickly now; I want all heavy weapons ready in ten minutes.” she called. “Tanks and mechanized forces will stay in the rear in the event the orks attempt to flank us or overwhelm the first few ranks. All others shall come with me.” there were shouts of confirmation as the Guard began to split up, a large number of infantry and heavy weapons teams forming up behind the Custodes as they approached the trenches. The Imperial Fists spotted Celestia as she approached, one climbing out of the trench and hurrying to her as she drew close.
“Apologies, Empress, for our lack of preparation,” the Space Marine said, bowing slightly. “Ork air attacks have slowed some of our fortification efforts, but we are making due.”
“I understand.” Celestia bade him rise as she continued on. “At the very least, we know that the Greenskins are alerted to our presence. All that remains is that we created enough of a distraction that their warlord commits himself to the attack.”
“Of course, Empress.” the Imperial First replied. “Your orders?”
“Assist the Guard in setting up their heavy weapons, and continue with your fortification efforts. I will anchor the front line.” the Astarte nodded, breaking off to relay Celestia’s commands. It took little effort for her and the Custodes to skirt the edges of the trenches, moving up until they reached the lip of the first trench. The second trench had been dug into the side of a gentle rise, giving the second rank a better field of fire without risking them blowing one of their comrade’s head off. For a rather makeshift defensive line, it was surprisingly solid.
Whether that was fact or not would have to be seen once the orks attacked.
As Celestia waited, she reached out into the Warp, opening her senses to the world and the people on and around it. The Guard in the north were holding well against the Greenskins, though with each passing second she could feel one life after another winking out of existence. To the south, the Minotaurs had hit the ork diversionary force, the full might of the Chapter sweeping through the Greenskins with grim resolve.
But perhaps most troubling, Twilight was nowhere to be found. Even as she probed deeper into the Warp, the light of her student was hidden from her sight. She should be fine... Celestia thought. The Sisters and the Inquisitor should keep her from harm. She recalled her soul, focusing her attention forward as she scanned the horizon.
In the distance, she could see a cloud of dust and smoke moving towards the position. Greenskins; it was not the full might of the WAAAGH!!!, but a decent sized warband being destroyed would draw enough attention for now. Celestia unhooked her sword from her hip, twisting it slightly in her hand before she activated it. Mystical flames raced up and down the blade, her armor shimmering with light from the slightest movement.
Soon, she could start to make out the outlines of the enemy. The warband was a fair bit larger than she had first guessed, with dozens of lesser orks supported by tanks, bikers, and a few medium sized walkers. No sign of the warlord’s Titan, though; that would require a little more than a meager defensive line to attract.
“Destroy the vehicles,” she said. “That should slow the xenos down a bit.” Astartes and Guardsmen relayed her order, dozens of voices echoing down the line as lascannons and missile launchers were prepared. The Custodes spread out a bit, as was their style of independent fighting, not a single one making a sound as they prepared to receive the charge.
As the orks sped up to close the distance further, the Imperium struck.
Dozens of lascannon shots sliced through the air, blue streaks of light flashing as they found their targets. Two of the enemy trukks exploded outright, flipping over as they disgorged their occupants into the dirt. Frag missiles struck among the bikers and those orks on foot, deadly shrapnel cutting easily through the Greenskins’ makeshift armor. This drew a roar from the orks, the cloud of dust following them growing as they continued to speed forward.
Celestia cleared her mind, raising her taloned hand towards the enemy. There was a brief pause before the very air before her exploded in warpflame, currents of fire engulfing the horde. Their screams of pain and anger died in an instant, leaving behind only charred piles of ash and scrap metal to mark that there had ever been Greenskins standing at that point. Still, more continued onward, waving their weapons in the air as they closed with the human who dared strike down their fellows in such a manner.
Celestia took a few steps forward and unleashed another torrent of warpflame. Though the orks were more prepared for the attack, many more were struck down by her power. By now, they had closed to range of their crude weapons, some slowing only so they could open fire on the Imperium line. The humans and Space Marines replied in kind, thousands of bullets, bolter shells, and lasbolts flying through the air as man and xenos clashed on the plains of Caesaria.
Celestia and her Custodes continued forward. In the battle of man and beast, she was beyond them.
Celestia swept her sword around, flames racing above her head as she prepared for another strike. Under normal circumstances she would have merely launched her attack, but to inspire terror and draw attention she needed a bit more theatrics in her approach. The flames briefly took the form of a great eagle before rushing downward, many orks turning to run before they were engulfed. The ground beneath her cracked from the force and heat, steam rising up and wafting around her until a faint halo had formed. With another sweep of her hand she cleared away any remaining smoke and fire, just enough so she could get a good look at the enemy before her.
Two of the larger walkers turned on her, readying their weapons to fire. Celestia turned her hand upward and balled it into a fist, a golden shield forming around her and her Companions as bullets sparked off. “Focus fire on the lesser Greenskins,” Celestia called into her vox. “My Companions and I will deal with the larger ones.” She did not wait for a reply of affirmation before going on the attack again, conjuring up another ball of flame before thrusting her sword outward. The ball shifted to a bright lance, the beam punching a glowing hole straight through the nearest walker with ease. The walker staggered before exploding, shrapnel and pieces of ork scattering everywhere as Celestia turned her attention to the next.
Just as the second walker tumbled to its doom, Celestia saw the reorganized Greenskins rushing forward. She called away her flames, drawing her sword back and bracing for the charge while her Companions brought their Guardian Spears forward. These orks did not even bother with shooting, blindly rushing forward in search of enemies to kill.
“Companions, to me,” she called. “Show these xenos the true might of Humanity!” There was a pause before the air between the orks and Celestia shimmered, just as another full squad of Custodes teleported onto the battlefield. Armed with storm shields and swords, the Custodes leapt into the Greenskins, bowling over several as they cut their way through the mob. Celestia and the others pushed forward, eager to join their brothers in battle against the enemy.
Battle shifted quickly to slaughter; the heavy armor and unsurpassed skill of the Custodes allowed them to shrug off or dodge past the orks’ strikes, some dropping half a dozen before they were even hit. Celestia herself waded gracefully through the melee, whipping her sword around as a dancer would manipulate a baton. An upward strike sent one ork tumbling through the air, while a thrust to her left slew two in that single strike. One larger ork took a clumsy swing at Celestia with its Power Klaw, only for her to catch the beast’s arm and pull it and a chunk of its upper torso away. Flesh and blood splattered across Celestia’s armor, her left hand dripping with crimson as she tore through another group, yet despite all this Celestia maintained an aura of calm.
It was only war. That, at least, was one of the few constants that remained in her life.
Celestia slammed a challenging Warboss into the dirt, barely pausing as she crushed its armored head with her heel. Around her, her Custodes waded through the fallen bodies of the enemy, slowing their advance only to let off a burst of gunfire before returning to the melee. The Relentless advance of the Empress and her Companions, combined with the continued firepower of the main line, had created a gap between human and xenos that the latter dared not tread. This is still not enough.
“Companions, To me!” Celestia called once more, summoning another shield to protect the Custodes from incoming fire. “Back to the line! We must draw these xenos further in if we are to lure their warlord to his end!” The Custodes drew closer together, those armed with swords and shields at the front covered by those wielding Guardian Spears. The orks surged forward once more, crashing into the Custodes like a wave as they stabbed and hacked at anything that moved. Slowly Celestia and her Companions pulled back, striking down orks with almost rhythmic precision while she deflected shells and bullets from newly arrived Greenskins and their war machines.
Once they had pulled back closer to the line, Celestia closed her eyes and focused, raising her sword towards the heavens as fire raced around the blade. The sky, already darkened from smoke and air pollution, crackled with energy as she drew more and more power around herself. The air itself seemed to hum, light swirling around the soldiers of humanity as they battled against the Greenskins.
Finally, Celestia attacked.
Her eyes blazing with inner fire, she leapt forward and swung, the ork in front of her having a brief moment of terror before it was vaporized. A thunderous roar tore through the air, those orks that were not destroyed by Celestia’s strike knocked back and broken by the force unleashed. Tanks and walkers were shattered by her power, some exploding spectacularly as ammunition and fuel was ignited. Dozens of orks dropped their weapons and ran, only to be cut down by vengeful humanity or burned in the holocaust of the Empress’ wrath.
A cheer rose from the defensive line; the Guardsmen, having suffered relatively light casualties, called out in praise to the Empress and her Companions for their defense. Some shouted curses and jeers at the retreating enemy, while others chanted hymns and prayers of victory. This continued for several minutes before Celestia raised her hand.
“The initial skirmish is ours,” she said. “Now, let us see if the orks wish to continue the fight.” Most of the cheering and praise died down, Guardsmen and Imperial Fists returning to fortifying their positions, though some further in the back took a bit longer to get the message. In the distance, Celestia thought she could hear the sound of gunfire dying off slightly, either from the orks choosing to fall back and attack at a later time, or from Skullkrusha looking to test his luck with the new line.
As the minutes ticked by, it turned out to be the latter; off in the distance Celestia could see smoke and faded shapes drawing closer to the line. Tanks and walkers, no doubt, perhaps even several Gargants and Stompas. A larger one, equipped with two massive saws and a belly-mounted cannon, appeared to be leading the charge, void shields and other energies crackling around it. Skullkrusha’s vehicle, no doubt. Celestia briefly released her power, burning away whatever residue remained from the previous battle, and as the rest of the line prepared she took a moment to survey the oncoming horde.
I could risk a lance from this range, perhaps destroy the Gargant before it closes the gap further. The distance is troublesome, and I might not have the focus to construct a shield when the Greenskins retaliate.
Celestia’s thoughts were interrupted by a roar from overhead. Glancing up, she could see dozens of crimson and black aircraft streaking across the sky, billowing clouds of smoke trailing after them as they swooped down to attack. “From above! Down!” Celestia constructed another shield, this one sufficient enough to cover a large portion of the defensive line, but the orks’ speed meant that at least some of the bomms and gunfire would reach the line.
The trenchworks were rocked by explosions, shrapnel raining down on the Guardsmen and Space Marines like snow. Celestia’s shield flared as shells burst against it, the Empress wincing slightly from particularly hard hits. As predicted, some managed to break through the shield and strike the soldiers beneath, with only a few bits of armor and mangled bodies to mark that the crater had once contained men. The Stalker tank’s cannons blazed as the Space Marines tried to cut down some of the orks, a few straggling bommers spiraling out of the sky from direct hits.
The air assault passed, Celestia straightening up as she readjusted her shield. The Gargants had drawn back slightly, readying their massive guns to fire on the Imperials. Before them, another horde of Greenskins came bounding forward, these ones shielded by meks and psykers providing shields and illusions for their followers. “I will need to drop the shield for just a moment to strike the enemy. Prepare yourself!”
Celestia refocused, the shield flickering for a moment before vanishing, as if on cue, thousands of bullets and heavy shells hurtled towards the Imperials, deep gashes tearing through the line and the soldiers therein. The Astartes were able to weather the attack more easily, but even they could not stand up under the punishment from ork Gargants. Just as the Stalker belched fire from a direct hit, Celestia finally focused her power enough and attacked once more.
Three arcs of golden lightning raced forward, zig-zagging across the sky as they reached out for the walkers. Weirdboys and meks tried to raise their defenses to redirect the attack, but any that did found themselves cooked from within by the sheer psychic might. Finally, the bolts struck the Gargants, two punching deep through their targets while the leader convulsed as lightning arced around its body. Finally, the left Gargant shuddered and collapsed, crushing dozens of tanks and Greenskins beneath it, while the right glowed before exploding in a massive cloud of smoke and fire, the shockwave forcing even Celestia to take a small step back.
The center Gargant, though, seemed unharmed save for its pace being less certain and its weapons stuttering much more than usual. More energy crackled around it, and Celestia prepared to launch a more powerful attack against the walker before it could right itself.
The walker, though, had served its purpose well; behind Celestia, among the trenches and bunkers, the air began to shimmer with power. The soldiers therein had little time to react before orks teleported in, dozens of boyz and Meganobz eager to slaughter the human defenders. At the center was a massive brute, heads taller than a dreadnought and clad in heavy armor forged from the ruins of countless Imperial tanks and walkers. With a wicked cackle he set upon the defenders with his followers, slicing through flakk and power armor with the two Astartes-sized circular saws strapped to his wrists.
Celestia turned, and saw Skullkrusha’s rampage through her lines.
“Hold the horde; I will rescue our forces from the enemy.” She called to the nearest Custodes. The merely nodded in acceptance as they drew themselves forward, spears and swords ready to receive the rest of the Greenskins. Celestia, meanwhile, whipped her sword around as she charged, sprinting as she prepared to jump on the Warboss and his followers.
Skullkrusha, however, spotted her as she advanced. With another chuckle he raised his left arm, aiming a pair of scavenged battle cannons at Celestia. Celestia raised a smaller psychic shield as Skullkrusha fired, massive shells as big as a man’s torso smashing against the shield. The first was deflected with little difficulty, but the second scored a hit against the edge of the shield, leaving just enough force to knock Celestia back.
Celestia pulled herself back to her feet, just as Skullkrusha ordered his Meganobz forward to deal with the interloper. Like their Warboss they were also armed with massive Killsaws, the blades caked with blood both old and new. “Is this what you come against me with?” Celestia asked, Bringing her sword up in preparation for the attack. “As far as being mocked, I have faced much worse.”
The first nob swung at Celestia, who merely stepped back and severed the xenos’ arm with a simple parry. As that Greenskin fell away, another stormed forward and rammed the Killsaws into Celestia’s arm, sparks flying as the blades tried to slice through her armor. With a twist she swung her sword around again, disarming the beast before she split its skull with a downward strike. The third did not even get the dignity of facing her blade, Celestia channeling only a small portion of her power and popping the Greenskin’s head like an overripe melon. The others balked for the briefest instant as their comrades were killed, giving Celestia enough time to shift her stance and prepare for their next round of attacks.
The nobs charged forward again, this time two of them striking out at the Empress. Celestia deflected the first, while the second left another gash in her armor as the saws scraped against it. A punch from her clawed gauntlet knocked away one Greenskin, while the second saw its next strike deflected by Celestia’s sword. Celestia kicked out, snapping the ork’s leg back before a second strike eviscerated it, but in doing so the first Greenskin struck again, though once more it failed to penetrate her armor any more than a few superficial scratches. Celestia reached forward and grabbed the Meganob by the head, squeezing until it was crushed beneath her fingers.
That left only Skullkrusha, and the Warboss was no longer amused.
Celestia braced herself as the ork came charging forward, arm cannons blazing and one hand drawn back to crush the human before him. With a grunt Celestia absorbed the strike as best she could, her heels digging deep trenches in the dirt. She channeled her powers once more, releasing a bolt that should have crippled the Greenskin with little issue.
However, the strike did little but fizzle against the Greenskins. How...? Celestia had little time to consider the implications before Skullkrusha pulled back, slamming his forearm into Celestia’s stomach and knocking her to the ground.
Celestia crafted another shield, Skullkrusha’s Killsaw bouncing off as she pulled herself back to her feet. With a snort she charged forward, swiping with her talon first to draw the Greenskin’s attention. As Skullkrusha allowed the talon to scrape across his armor, Celestia lunged forward with her sword, pouring more of her energy into it to slice through the beast’s defenses. While whatever psychic defenses the ork had dampened some of the strike, Celestia still found a gap and felt her sword plunge deep into the enemy’s hide. Skullkrusha howled in pain and reeled back, giving Celestia enough time to draw back for another strike.
Skullkrusha lunged, Celestia darting to her right to dodge the attack. She sliced upward, splitting the ork’s gun in half but failing to break through his armor. She struck again, sparks flying as Killsaw and Power Sword clashed against one another as the two combatants tried to force each other back. They broke away, Celestia sweeping her blade towards Skullkrusha’s head as the Warboss drew back to deliver another gut punch.
Celestia channeled the Warp, intent on increasing her strength tenfold for the upcoming strike. With a cry she attacked, her sword blazing as it sliced through armor and buried itself deep in the Warboss’ shoulder. Unfortunately, it did not have enough force to fully pass through, and Celestia could only brace as the ork struck her again. The attack caused her to stumble back slightly, but not enough to indicate a major strike. Wrenching her sword free of the Warboss’ shoulder, the two backed off to size up one another and the battle around them.
The Imperial lines were crumbling under the weight of the attack. The Custodes still held, but with the Empress distracted orks were beginning to slip around their lines and into the trenches. The Imperial Fists stepped forward to intercept, their armor and weapons shielding the Guardsmen from certain death as they fell back to the second line of defence.
But relief was approaching; over the Warboss’ shoulder Celestia could see black shapes cruising through the sky, no doubt Corax and the Raven Guard en route to relieve her group. Dispatch the Greenskin, then rally the others.
Celestia brought her sword up in a guard position, circling about as she waited for Skullkrusha to attack. The beast let out another war cry, dozens of orks around him echoing in response as they pressed against the Imperials. Celestia said nothing, sliding her foot back as Skullkrusha came barreling towards her.
The ork struck like a train, but Celestia bracing herself with the Warp merely caused the two to crash against one another. Skullkrusha slammed Killsaws and fists into Celestia, while she held him at bay with psychic shield after psychic shield. She tried to retaliate with strikes of her own, but the ork’s size and relentlessness made it difficult to maneuver.
Beyond, Corax and the Raven Guard struck. The Primarch barely broke stride as he charged into the fray, slicing through Greenskins with ease in his push to reach Celestia. Not even those nobs that Celestia had missed were enough to slow Corax, flailing helplessly before he cut through them.
Celestia broke away from Skullkrusha, deflecting the Warboss’ Killsaw with her talon. As she did so, Corax lept onto the beast, stabbing his Lightning Claws downward towards the Greenskin’s head. The ork bellowed again, thrashing his massive bulk around and tossing the Primarch aside. “Corax!” Celestia called. “The Greenskin is blocking my powers somehow; find a way to break through and I will finish this battle.” Corax said nothing, swiping at Skullkrusha once more to draw the Warboss’ attention. Skullkrusha snorted and struck, knocking Corax back with a shower of sparks. Celestia sprinted forward and buried her sword in the ork’s arm once more, drawing the Greenskin back to her.
Now, Corax struck. He pounced forward and latched onto the front of Skullkrusha’s armor, stabbing towards the Greenskin’s head while searching for what was causing the psychic interference. Skullkrusha reached to yank the Primarch off, grabbing Corax around the back before flinging him to the ground. As he broke away, Celestia saw that Corax had ripped off a part of the Warboss’ armor, some of it shimmering slightly from some form of energy. As Skullkrusha raised his Killsaws to finish Corax, Celestia released a small bolt of energy towards the ork.
The bolt sparked against the Warboss’ armor, leaving a deep gash in the already damaged armor. “Now, you will suffer my wrath, Greenskin.” Celestia drew in more power and released, a glowing singularity forming before her before a brilliant beam of light engulfed the Greenskin. Surprisingly, the beast merely roared in anger and turned to face her, Celestia pouring in more power to overwhelm whatever residual power remained to protect Skullkrusha.
Finally, she could feel something shatter, her power surging forward to consume Skullkrusha. The world went white for the briefest of moments, before finally the surge died down. Celestia refocused her vision, watching as Corax pulled himself back to his feet and observing the two charred stumps that were Skullkrusha’s legs.
“This ends. Now.” Celestia channeled more power, her head aching slightly from the strain of utilizing the Warp in rapid fire displays of great power. Fire gathered around her once more, twisting and writhing like an angered snake, before Celestia swept her sword forward and cast a massive curtain down on the enemy. Orks were torched to the bone, but Astartes and Guardsmen found themselves surprisingly unscathed by the torrent of flames. Their leader dead, and with a veritable holocaust of flames destroying their frontlines again and again, the orks began to falter in their assault.
Enough for the Raven Guard to speed forward and begin the true counter attack.
Celestia recalled her power, pausing for a moment to regain focus. “Empress, are you well?” Corax asked, pulling himself out of the mud.
“I am fine,” she replied. “A bit winded, but I can continue.”
“No doubt.” Corax crossed to Celestia and handed her the chunk of armor he had ripped from the ork. “This was most likely what had blocked your power.” Celestia took the metal, examining it for several moments. Besides normal scrap metal, she spotted a twisted strip of brass, covered with ork graffiti but not enough that she couldn’t make out a glowing red mark in the center of the piece.
“So, this beast has had a clash with the followers of Khorne,” she mused. After a moment, she dropped the metal to the ground and stomped on it, shattering the collar to uselessness. “No matter, there is work to be done. Though I would have preferred that you stayed to handle the south, I thank you for coming to my aid.”
“Not only yours; your student and her companions as well were caught up in the battle, about a mile south of here.” Celestia’s blood ran cold. Her hand trembled, and it took great focus not to lose her composure.
“Is she safe?”
“Physically, yes. I ordered some of my men to escort her back to the fleet.” a pause. “I assume you would want to see her?” Celestia remained silent. Twilight had not been safe; somehow, she had gotten too close to the warzone, left at the mercy of the Greenskins. Corax said she was safe, but for what she had seen...
“... I-in time,” Celestia shook her head. “I will visit her once these Greenskins are dealt with. Continue with the assault; I will coordinate our forces and move to assist you.”
“Yes, Empress.” Corax collected himself and jumped away, joining his sons in their pursuit of the orks. Celestia remained, surveying the battlefield around her; hundreds of ork corpses filled her vision, stacked in piles where heavy weapons had easily cut them down. The Imperium, however, had not been unscathed; hundreds of Guardsmen lay broken and shattered, what few survivors remained pulling their wounded comrades out of the trenches. Many Space Marines as well had joined their allies in death, and Celestia could even see at least one of her golden-clad Companions laid low by the Green Tide.
And Twilight... wherever she was...
The Greenskins may have been routed, yet the Empress had failed.
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Holy Throne! That was epic!
Wrist mounted battle cannons?
As, the things Lehmann Russ tanks use as standard armaments? Those, all over the table, rain down 5 inch templates of Damage 8, Armor Piercing 3 battle canons? Holy freaking fuck, just how tall was this Waaaghboss, to withstand the recoil? Even with the best mega armor, that should have ripped his arm clean off. Then again, Orks.
Also, nice twist with the Khorne talisman.^^b I was wondereing how Skullcrusha could withstand the Empress sheer power.
8212482 Yes, those kinds of battle cannons. I figured that since he’s the Boss, he needs a big gun (as for scale, he’s probably about as big as those Leman Russes he wrecked to get his big gun, so he could take the recoil. Also, Ork.)
The Collar of Khorne is based off one criticism I got from God Empress; Celestia’s power level appeared inconsistent, one minute she could move planets and decimate armies, the next she struggled against an opponent far weaker than her. While it is mainly for dramatic tension, I needed to find a way that an opponent like Skullkrusha could go toe-to-toe with Celestia before she pulls the “Psychic God” card and vaporized him, while still maintaining that Celestia is one of the most powerful things in the galaxy. In the future, She’ll be pitted against opponents that match if not exceed her power (and they do exist in the 40k universe).
Another awesome chapter! I praise the Empress everytime one rolls around.
I feel sorry for Celestia. She has a duty to the Imperium and it must outweigh her duty to Twilight. Yet something like that as to weigh heavily on her mind.
8212629
Don’t forget, she also has her oath. She gave her word, as Princess, Empress, and as a friend, that Twilight Sparkle would return home safely.
repetition
Missing opening quote
repetition, you should replace the first one with “in front”
rally
Hmm Ok how tall is Celestia here? And how tall was the Emperor Of Mankind at the time of Horus Heresy?
Is she ten feet tall? or is she tiny compared to the various Astartes running around?
Twilight is a normal size from what I remember.
8212777 Celestia’s about ten feet tall or so.
The inquisition will falter before long
However, The strike did little but fizzle
With a cry she attack, her sword blazing as it
1. Extra capitalisation.
2. Attacked.
8212781
I had thought the Emperor was more like twelve feet, but then she is a woman now, and likely somewhat less bulky.
8212517
Hopefully not too often! If every pitched and well-detailed/defined battle she goes into she meets an equal or opposite, it seems like instead of there being a handful of such beings and she just happens across one, that somewhere a factory’s pumping them out and cheapens both sides. Not saying you’ve done this or will, but usually when it comes to displays of a nearly almighty hero character their victories are just sort of a footnote, “Oh they liberated that planet easily” and all we ever see is the hero struggling against something as strong or stronger than they are when such things are supposed to be vanishingly rare. Hoping we’ll get some stories of Celestia just carving through battlefields, getting her tactical acumen and psychic stamina/usage back up to full speed. Stella got to get her groove back, y’know?
8213052 She'll get her moments to shine, though I need to make sure she's not the only one; I still have Twilight, the Sisters, Mattias and Co., and the Primarchs to show off (another should be making his appearance soon). My idea is that they would be the ones battling "on the ground" as it were, while Celestia fights the tougher foes (the Hive Mind, Magnus, the list goes on). I'd say more, but we're already drifting into spoiler territory.
8213228
I feel you! Just a bit enamored with the on-the-field setting we get this time. First time Celestia’s put foot on the battlefield again that wasn’t a hoof.
8212517 - ‘Then Again... Ork’ is a fair excuse for just about anything...
As far as things that are stronger than the Empress? Very few can be realized. The 4 chaos gods, and maybe some of the strongest of greater demons. That’s not to say that she wouldn’t struggle vs a greater demon, but she’d still probably win in a full on psychic battle. Physically? She’s definitely stronger than most, but still far weaker than things like titans or some of the big tyranid beasts.
The only thing I could think of when the custodes teleported in.
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/72/84/b2/7284b2ce25865d0ba68f9da1e776daf1.jpg
Well I hope you upload that chapter soon. I bet it will be very funny.
Let’s be honest, Tia: You knew that this day would have to come eventually. Twilight would have to face the forces of Chaos in the WH40k galaxy and that is not an experience that is anything other than traumatic. The fact that Twilight was able to put together enough sanity to evacuate her protectors from the warzone is a good sign but, yes, the sickness will be long, hard and difficult for her.
Celestia is pushing towards the Galactic South East, so, assuming its a loyalist, it puts Chogoris, Deliverance, and Ultramar in her path. The Scars havent been mentioned (or if they have i missed it!) and the Ultramarines have been sticking to their own realm...
She already has Corax, so the Khan could pop up (it would be interesting to see her deal with a loyalist with no real love for the Emperor) or Guilliman, who's a person she would both want to vigorously pat on the back for keeping thing together, yet throttle at the same time for changing so much.
I think Guilliman is quite similiar to Twilight, when you boil down their personalities. Both of them are idealists, who make plans for everything they can think of and tend to get caught a bit off when something they didnt expect happens. Both of them are book smart, in the sense that they are quite intelligent, but their social skills are a bit lacking.
Of course, as im sure you know, im a bit biased towards the marines in blue...
Edit: Shouldnt Celestia be able to overpower a Khorne talisman? The only Ork warboss that had a chance against The Emperor back in the day was the one at Ullanor, and that was arguably just a test for Horus, seeing what the Emperor did to the Ork army immediately afterwards.
The first few battles should be a cake walk for Celestia. I suppose dramatic tension is important, but, if she needs Corax to kill an Ork, how will she stand againt Magnus or Angron?
To be honest, I kinda skim read this chapter. Pretty much the only thing of consequence that happened was Celestia finding out that Twilight was in trouble...
I wish there was a bit more MLP content in this fanfic... in this chapter, it feels like the Emperor of Mankind who just changed gender and is doing W40k things.
wot u sayz:
WOT DA BOYZ HEREZ:
Bit of a horsey gesture for the Empress of Humanity, you know
?
You popped the WAAAGH Balloon! All the WAAAGH came out of it
!
new2.fjcdn.com/comments/Quot+yes+this+is+true+happiness+quot+_436d6846f746fd06505c6518f0fe4baa.jpg
8212517
There are plenty of things that can meet or exceed the Emperor's psychic power, but I'm also kinda headcanoning for this story that getting knocked through the Warp and into whatever dimension contains Equestria decimated that power. After 10k years on the Golden Throne being fed human souls and prayers, the Emperor is basically ridiculously fucking powerful. This was more of a day out at the park.
Damn it iowarforever now that they've been mentioned I really want to see Celestia meet the Fab-stodes in all their awkward oily glory.
Anyway moving on is every 40k players favourite rowboat going to show up and use his GW given Mary Sue powers to retcon a new type of Space Marine into existence like he has in canon?
8236692
Though they probably don't wanna clean her bones now that A. She's fleshy now and B. Is female
Well, If we can’t have the fabstodes, can we at least have Captain General Kitten? I’m sure he and Twilight would get along fantastically, what with his encyclopedic knowledge of all things 40k.
I feel physically depressed now. I'm actually crying a little. I want this so bad.
Damn this is a big warboss. This guy would have been around the size of ghazghull to be able to do the thing she just did. If not slightly bigger. Which really goes to show how bad things are right now. If warlord seems like him have become the standard what the hell has ghazghull become if he’s still alive. He may rival or even surpassed the beast at this point.
9905971
That is both interesting an horrific
Time to engage nuclear levels of “NOPE!!!”
I think the singular of custodies is custodian.