The Black Rage

by Richard Walter

"FIRE!" bellowed the Imperial Tank commander. As soon as the words left his lips six tremendous shots rang out from the platoon of tanks. "Reload." Was the next command to be roared from the hardy Commander. A loud Thump! sound echoed through every tank as the spent shell was ejected and replaced with another deadly one. Brother Saevita of the Death Company observed the mighty Imperial barrage, five loud explosions tore through the sieged city of Aladranis.

Brother Saevita was a member of the rightly feared Death Company of the Blood Angels chapter. Eversince the Blood Angels arrived on the planet Valde, he had been finding it very hard to stop the Black Rage from entering his mind. Soon, he knew that he would unleash his fury in one long and frenzied execution, with death being the only release. However, he had the support of his fellow Death Company brothers, Ninety-nine in all.

The host was a tremendous sight, a battery of Leman Russ tanks, a handful of Guardsmen and them, a Hundred Death Company troops. Saevita wondered what the guardsmen thought about him and his brethren. He reckoned that they were at ease, yet a little weary.

Brother Cruentus' voice crackled into the com-net. "Brothers, look, the gate has opened and the devils of Khorne are heading this way, I advise retribution as the only payment for their sin."

Saevita looked towards the city gate, strange Daemons like none he had ever seen before charged forth. The Daemons were about as tall as an Imperial Guardsmen, had strange bestial heads and sported cruel hands that held wicked weapons of Chaos. They began to near the Army at an alarming rate.

The Imperial Guard began to fire at will, wildy aimed shots sang out like some unholy choir, the grizzled Imperial Tank Commander roared orders to his men and the Tanks. Despite the Chaos host bearing down on him, the Tank Commander showed no fear, only rage. Saevita respected the commander, the first human to earn it from him. Despite the commander roaring the command to fire on his lead several times, the Imperial Guardsman proceeded to fire wildly. Picking up the com-net, the commander roared orders into it. The tanks kicked into action, their thunderous weapons added to the cacaphony of death. One Imperial Captain on the ground roared at his men to hold firm, but the terror had gripped hold of them as the quaked. Fear was evident in the eyes of the Guardsmen as the Daemons broke through their defences and ran amok. Tortured screams and howls of pain rang out from the soldiers as they were raked down with the evil weapons of Chaos. Saevita observed one Daemon tear a guardsmen in two, then pull the head off another one, all in one savage bound.

"DEATH COMPANY, FORWARD." Roared Brother Chaplain Animi. Saevita got to his feet and charged with the rest of the Death Company. The one hundred power armoured Marines ran as fast as they could, their heavy boots pounding the rocky floor creating a awesome thunder as they charged. Saevita drew his Powersword as he fired a volley of shots from his Bolt-pistol into the screaming hordes. One of the cruel monsters fell, the shot nearly tearing it in two.

Saevita's vision clouded over into a haze of red. Images of the betrayal flickered in his mind, he saw the Primarch Sanguinius, dressed in flowing white robes, smite down the Warmaster Horus. Dropping to the floor, Saevita held onto his helmet as he let out a snarl. The vision changed into that of Horus mocking the freshly killed Primarch, all though he didn't see it, Saevita knew that the Primarch had fallen. Horus mocked the fallen Sanguinius, and as he did, he mocked the whole Blood Angel chapter and the Imperium itself.

The enraged Marine threw back his head and roared a curse to Horus as he got to his feet and charged. The Com-net buzzed with the snarls, curses and roars of the other Death Company troops as they fell into the Chaos lines. Chaplain Animi spoke the litany of Death as he pounded a savage creature to the ground with his Crozius-Arcanum. Saevita spotted a lone Imperial Guardsmen amidst a swirling maelstrom of Daemons, he knew that had to change.

With the vision of Sanguinius firmly in his mind, Saevita charged head long into the Daemons. Using his Power-sword as a pummel, Saevita launched himself at one screaming Daemon in front of him. The two figures fell to the ground with a loud thud. Within a heartbeat, Saevita had smashed his Power-sword down upon the creature with all his force. The dead Daemons body was covered in a crimson shower of gore and vileness. Already, Saevita had carried on the assault, roaring a praise to the Emperor and Sanguinius, the lone Marine unleashed volley after volley into the hordes of Daemons. A bestial chalenge reached Saevita's keen ears, it was from a terrible icon of Chaos. Khornes choosen warrior stood on top of a pile of fallen warriors, both Imperial Guard and his fellow Death Company brethren. The champion of Khorne withdrew his cruel sword of evil from the still twitching corpse of the Death Company Standard bearer, Brother Ultor. Saevita snarled as he charged to battle against the foul champion.

As Saevita neared the conflict, he could see the bodies of many fallen Guardsmen all around him. The Chaos champion picked up the banner and spat upon it. Rage surged through the Marines body as he bellowed every curse imaginable to the foul warrior of Chaos. The furious Death Company Marine met with the warrior of Chaos at full speed, yet the warrior had a cruel and bloody trick to deal to him.

With a savage roar, the Chaos warrior raised the banner spike level with Saevita's chest. It was too late for him to stop running. A sickening crunch met the ears of the Death Company troop. Looking down, Saevita stared in wonder. The pole had gone right through him, piercing armour and flesh alike. The banner was stained deep red, a crimson blood spluttered out of the impaled marine. Saevita tried to let out a shout, but no howl of pain appeared. Just a loud gurgle, followed by a foamy tide of blood. The Chaos champion grinned at Saevita.

"Your honour has been stained foul brother. I will carry your skull to my lords throne." rasped the warrior as he gave the pole a sickening twist. Saevita's mind clouded over with pain and rage, as he desperatley tried to free himself.

"But, for now...I shall carry on your pain." chuckled the diabolical warrior of evil. The foul sub-human gripped the pole firmly as he hoisted it over his head. Saevita was lifted off the floor, and went with the pole. He landed with a sickening crunch. Through the hazy fog of pain, Saevita could see the Chaos warrior staring down at him, sword at the level. With eye blurring swiftness, and despite the pain roaring through his body, Saevita managed to wrench the pole free from his gut. Using it the pole support, Saevita got to his feet, only to come crashing down again.

A vision of the Emperor apeared in Saevita's pain filled mind, he was fighting against Chaos, in the last battle of the Horus Hershey. In a small way, Saevita represented the Emperor, while the warrior of evil represented Horus. Getting to his feet, almost immune to the pain coursing through him, Saevita roared a challenge to the Chaos warrior.

"May the sins of your pitiful life be destroyed tonight. May your suffering decrease the misfortunes of your next birth. May the sum of evil balanced in this world aginst the sum of good become diminished by your heretical life. May the heat of the battle and the coldness of death purify your troubled soul." Roared Saevita as he thre himself towards the warrior of Chaos.

A wicked grin appeared upon the heretics face as he sneered at Saevita. Using the force of his charge, Saevita brought the Power-sword smashing down upon the warrior of chaos. Steel met steel as the two blades joined. Although very strong, the hero of evil was no match for the enraged Saevita. The Chaos hero dropped his sword, it fell with a loud clang!

Saevita readied himself for the final assault. As he neared the unarmed hero of Chaos. He noticed that he was holding something. A Flamer.

With superhuman reflexes, Saevita rolled downwards, as the sheet of flame passed overhead. He could feel the intense burning and hear the roaring of the flamer. The roll carried him to the feet of the Hero. With a tremendous force, Saevita kicked the heretic to the ground. Following up the attack, Saevita rammed his Power-sword deep into the gut of the warrior.

A loud shriek left the fallen warriors mouth, yet it managed to get to the ground. Saevita, however, had other ideas. Drawing his Bolt-pistol, he levelled it at the icon of sin and gave a final curse, before squeezing the trigger tightly, several times. The shots sounded almost as loud as the great cannons. The force of the shots threw the traitor back, blood running from the many holes adorning his body. For good measure, Saevita applied his boot to the side of the traitors head. Of the stranded Imperial Guardsman, nothing was found

Exhausted, Saevita knew he had to get back to the Imperial Tanks. Fighting his way back through the chattering hordes of Chaos. Saevita could hear the wily Tank Commander bellowing orders and curses to all who listened. However, Saevita detected a note of urgency in the veterans voice.

Picking up the com-link, he bellowed yet more orders into it. Saevita heard three loud, distant explosions, followed by the commander ordering a reload. A whistle type sound could be heard, over the snarling and cursing. The three shots detonated not far from where the hordes originiated from.

The commander turned his attention to his men, roaring more orders and cusses. Holding the storm-bolter, he fired at the nearest Daemon, tearing a hole the size of a ratling into it.

"Fire, Fire, Fire......FIRE!!!!" Roared the angry commander, a choir of Imperial Weapons erupted from the well placed zones. The screaming hordes of Chaos fell back, surprised at the ferocity of the Imperial Guard. Still, the barrage came. The commander glanced left, looking at Saevita, he nodded his head in the marines direction, gave a wink and a salute then picked up the communicator again.

"MEDIC!!!!" Howled the commander, until then, Saevita was oblivious to the wounds caused by his fight with the warrior of Chaos. Looking down, Saevita realised why the commander called the medic.

Bright red blood spluttered from the gaping hole in his chest, his power armour was stained deep red with his life blood, the skulls adorning his armour disappeared under a tide of red blood and gore. From the hole trailed his entrails, stained a crimson red, vital fluids spouted from them. Saevita tried not to look, but it became to much to bear.

Two pairs of arms gripped Saevita, dazed and confused the Death Company soldier looked up. Two Blood Angel Tactical troops carried him, the strike force had arrived. The marines both gave him the ritual thumbs up as a salute to his legendary work. They both beared the laurel wreaths upon their crowns as a mark of their valour and deeds, Saevita was certain that he too would earn his wreath. He had better.

Saevita knew his life was not spent in vain, he closed his eyes as his life blood spilt away from him. Drifting into a deep sleep, Saevtia praised the Emperor for his chance to prove himself.