# Die A Hero



## Kaiden (Apr 1, 2010)

Hey guys, this is my first piece I hope you like it. It's based on my deathwatch army. Any comments or critisim are greatly appreiciated. Enjoy.

Die a Hero

‘Get down’ Roth bellowed as another shell impacted ahead of them, throwing the soil metres into the air, showering the kill team with mud and crude shrapnel. The Dark hunter and his team crouched low amongst the remains of the once proud Imperial convoy. Thunder cracked overhead and the unrelenting summer rain hammered down from the dark skies of Casbain.

‘Calibos, does she live?’ he asked, daring a glance back at the Dark Angel and the delicate form of Inquisitor Skyle which he cradled. Skyle had taken a glancing hit from the Ork Warboss before Roth’s power fist had laid it low.

‘Yes Brother.’ Calibos gently checked that no shrapnel had punctured her black bodyglove, ‘But she is failing fast.’ The Inquisitor’s head lolled as the Dark Angel returned her to the embrace of his blood drenched robes. 

‘What of the transmitter?’ Roth asked in a low voice, he knew the success of the mission depended on its survival. Only its signal could penetrate the electromagnetic interference of the storm.

‘It is secure and functional, brother’ Calibos gestured to a small pouch on his belt. ‘The Crucible stands ready.’ Roth gave a nod in reply. 

‘Guard it well Calibos, I have no desire to be trapped here.’ Roth knew the order was unnecessary, the Dark Angel, like any member of the kill team would rather lay down his life than fail in their duty. 

The ground around the deathwatch was churned up as the Orks unleashed another torrent of fire from the tree line.

‘Break cover and make for the mining station on my mark.’ Roth didn’t need confirmation, he knew well the Astartes would obey. For seven years they had fought and bled together. These warriors all drawn from different chapters, different worlds, had together faced down all the xenos horrors the galaxy could muster. The fires of war had bonded them, each learned from the other’s strengths and together they were unstoppable. ‘Mark.’

A sudden crack of lightning illuminated the valley, and for a brief moment nine gods of war, resplendent in black and silver could be seen sprinting across the open grassland. Behind them a mighty cry went up from the Orks, louder even than the summer storm. Roth glanced back at the forests edge. Hundreds of the beasts were charging towards them, flanked by their war machines, guns firing wildly into the rain filled skies. 

The sky split and thunder rumbled across the valley as the Deathwatch arrived at the station’s outer wall, Roth was the last through the massive metal doors of the gatehouse, and together with his brothers pushed the heavy gate shut. 

‘Brother Morgan, take Decimus and Corvax and set up a defensive position on the wall, lay down suppressive fire as you see fit.’ The Storm Lord devastator hefted his heavy bolter as the warriors made for the ramparts.

‘They will be on us in thirty seconds’ Morgan voxed 

‘Understood’ Roth Replied. He walked across to Calibos and the unconscious form of Skyle, her breathing was slow and her blood flecked face was dealthy pale. 

‘Signal the extraction Brother Calibos, she must live.’ Roth emphasised the last words, the knowledge that the Inquisitor now possessed was more valuable to the Imperium than the entire population of Casbain.’

‘Signal acknowledged, arrival in six minutes’ Calibos replied, knowing what was asked of him he maglocked his bolter to his leg plate and gently scooping up the dying woman made his way to the landing pad. 

The thunderous bark of a heavy bolter brought Roth’s thoughts back to the present, Morgan and the remainder of the kill team had opened fire on the Orks and he was needed on the wall. 

Morgan intoned the litany of hatred and he cut down scores of the vile greenskins, the heavy shells of his weapon leaving his victims little more than blood slicked piles of meat. The rain continued to pour as he brought ruin to the Orks, turning the ground underfoot in to a blood soaked quagmire. But still more came on. 

Clambering over their own dead the first wave of howling greenskins reached the walls, throwing themselves at the heavy reinforced door. Brother Decimus fired of burst of white hot promethium from his flamer, engulfing the greenskins and burning them alive. But still more came on. 

‘Ammunition at forty percent’ Morgan shouted over the din, the shell counter on his helmet display rapidly whittling down to zero. Suddenly a mighty force hammered into the wall, just wide of the gate. The prefab structure groaned under the impact of the ramshackle Ork artillary and a great chunk of ferocrete fell, crushing several unfortunate greenskins. No sooner had the slab of wall hit the floor, Orks had clambered over it and were making for the breach, their bloodlust rising.

‘Decimus, secure the breach.’ Roth covered his move with his storm bolter, levelling his fury into the surging mass of bodies. The squad’s flamer would take a bloody toll on any who made it past his deadly aim. Over the cacophony of the battle, the superhuman senses of the Astartes could make out the roar of the drop ship engines.

‘Extraction imminent brothers, fall back to the landing pad in tactical formation twenty-four.’ The marines obeyed without question, moving as one with a precision honed on a hundred battlefields. 

‘Frag Grenades!’ without breaking stride, the tactical marines primed and launched a volley of deadly grenades that landed just beyond the wall, seconds later a chain of explosions rent dozens of the greenskins apart.

Another explosion shook the station as the Ork artillery struck true, demolishing the stations main gates. Even before the smoke had settled angry greenskins leap through and into the teeth of bolter fire. 

The Dark clouds above the carnage parted and a mighty Thunderhawk descended on contrails of fire, its heavy bolters and lascannons sowing death among the Orks. The craft circled the station laying waste to the Ork artillery before setting down to extract the kill team. Calibos was the first aboard, wasting no time securing Skyle and stabilising her with pain suppressors. The rest of the team boarded in covering formation. Roth stood as rearguard, his storm bolter unleashing death upon the charging Orks as he recited the oath of purgation. 

Though the smoke and death he had wrought upon the Orks massive silhouettes appeared, Roth felt the ground quake as these new xenos lurched forwards. An Ork Deffdread, an unholy mockery of the Dreadnaughts used by his brother Astartes, flanked by four smaller Killa Kans. They aimed straight at him chain blades whirring and bristling with high power guns easily capable of damaging the Thunderhawk, they were challenging him as a foe with honour might. 

The realization hit Roth like a battlecannon shell, they wanted him. The Inquisitor, her knowledge even his brothers were mere sport, attacked out of instinct and a primal need to wage war. But Roth had killed their leader, bested the greatest of them, he was a trophy kill. 

‘Brothers,’ he spoke into the squad vox. The Thunderhawks weapons trained on the new threat.

‘The enemy has us cornered, but we will prevail. The Inquisitor must live, or all is for naught.’ Roth started walking slowly towards the enemy.

‘I shall hold back this tide, while you extract to orbit.’ The Thunderhawk pilot, looked down at the many view screens that filled the crafts cockpit, and immediately understood, the drop ships thrusters fired and the mighty craft began its accent into the torrent of rain.

‘It has been my honour to serve alongside you. The Emperor Protects.’ Roth increased his pace, as he loped he activated his powerfist, lethal arcs of energy danced across its surface.

Amidst the hoots and cheers of the ork horde came a reply, distorted by the storm.

‘For.............eror brother, you sha....remembered.’

Roth smiled as he threw his helmet aside, the hard rain felt cool upon his face as he quickened to a sprint. He was Astartes to die gloriously in battle was the ultimate honour, as he charged towards a horde of the hated enemy he could not imagine a better end than this. 

He would die for his Brothers. He would die for the Emperor. He would die a hero.


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

Really excellent piece mate, I really enjoyed it.


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Great work, I enjoyed it myself .


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## Kaiden (Apr 1, 2010)

Thanks guys, this was part of a Deathwatch scenario i wrote for the rpg, so there should be more to come.


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