A terrible end
The evacuating forces were eviscerated in their retreat. Those not consumed by the energies of the warp fought a bloody path towards their transports. Ships carrying the wounded were the first to leave and the first to come into contact with the beasts swimming beyond the clouds. What meagre munitions they had detonating, lighting up silhouettes of titanic warp spawns.
The Breaking Dawn chapter was not spared, all elements that were not deployed to the capital city, the focal point and the only area of the planet not totally under the warp’s influence, were never seen or heard of again. Providing the only structure for the militarum to enact withdrawal the chapter provided cover against the teeming masses of crazed cultists, maddened heretic astartes and abominable warp beasts. Only when defeat was close to inevitable were the final thunderhawks sent, landing on mass to recoup the entrenched marines.
Noctis V was lost, riding in a gunship alone but for his invaluable asset the Lord Inquisitor sent out his command on all frequencies. “Commence bombardment, exterminatus.” Inquisitor Coronado had never come close to enacting such a scale of destruction but not even the planet itself could be left to fester. Cracking the planet’s mantle and the escaping heat from its core was the only way to cleanse this taint from the sector.
What he knew was the great enemy had come for something of great value to warrant such a force to be sacrificed. Coronado needed to know what but more importantly where they’ll be next.
Commissioned by @drosatauroni
