MTLNOVEL Chapter 22: chapter 22
Chapter 22: Crazy
The enemy's attack on Numinas became more and more intense, especially with the poor visibility making it difficult for the Extreme Marines to judge their numbers. Ventanus estimated that at least 6,000 to 8,000 enemies were attacking, most of whom were mortal troops.
The mortal troops of the Word Bearers were completely different from the auxiliary troops of Calth. They were more like a horde of ignorant cultists and lunatics—fanatical, fearless, and even willing to choose death of their own accord.
Enemies carrying bomb vests and melta bombs posed a great threat to the Ultramarines' defenses.
Even as they died, they clamored for the gifts of the gods, believing they were not perishing but instead ascending to the divine realm to enjoy the rewards of their dedication.
These blindly devoted and ignorant religious legions had a severe impact on the morale of the Calth Auxiliary Army. If captured alive, these crazed believers would sacrifice all their captives in horrific ways.
Ventanus pondered deeply. He could not comprehend what kind of power or influence had overturned the Word Bearers' once-fanatic devotion to the Emperor, driving them into the abyss of darkness.
Their betrayal of the Ultramarines had been a long-planned conspiracy, and there was undoubtedly more horrific treachery to come.
The enemies charging through the rainstorm and thick fog never ceased. Driven by their leaders, these madmen—who willingly embraced death—chanted blasphemous mantras as they charged towards the trenches, barbed wire, and gates, acting as mere cannon fodder.
The artillery units of the Mechanicum had already unleashed devastating firepower. Their shells rained down upon the tightly packed masses, tearing human bodies into countless fragments with deadly shockwaves. Limbs and flesh were hurled into the air, filling the atmosphere with an ominous and unsettling aura.
Most of the veterans of the 61st Company of Numinas had fallen, but Sergeant Hurlock was still alive. He and his men used laser rifles and grenades to hold the enemy at bay from behind their bunkers.
Mortal against mortal, Astartes against Astartes.
Both sides instinctively adopted this strategy—soldiers battling soldiers, generals confronting generals—reserving the strength and stamina of their Space Marines.
The Mechanicus' presence greatly alleviated the firepower shortage. Once replenished with energy and supplies, the heavily modified Crusaders unleashed a storm of firepower, using radiation and laser weapons to decimate large numbers of enemies.
The chants of the Word Bearers grew louder and louder, their incantations carrying an eerie power, keeping their mortal troops on the fine edge between madness and sanity.
They carried a large number of explosive vests and attacked in a crazed frenzy. If they got close, they would detonate themselves, taking as many enemies with them as possible.
"Stop them on the bridge!"
Skitarii snipers and mortal sharpshooters fired rapidly, detonating the suicidal attackers before they could reach their targets. The ensuing explosions wiped out entire groups of the Word Bearers' mortal forces. Violent tremors spread through the increasingly crumbling palace.
"The enemy's offensive is growing more ferocious! They're paving the way for the Astartes assault!"
An Ultramarine beside Ventanus roared. He thought the time had come—the Ultramarines needed to enter the battle.
"Now is not the time, Saurus. If I foolishly send troops with you, they will only die in vain, overwhelmed by the tide of rebels!" Ventanus rejected Saurus' proposal, causing the Ultramarine to erupt in fury.
"I am not afraid of death! The Ultramarines do not fear anything!" Veins bulged on his face, and his spit flew as he shouted.
"I know you are not afraid of death," Ventanus replied, "but I think you fear the madness of the Word Bearers and the unsettling truths they speak. The universe we once knew is unraveling, revealing a logic we have never encountered before."
Ventanus' words cut deep. Saurus realized that his comrade was seeking death—he had lost part of his faith. In his panic, he wanted to rush headlong into battle, to end his own wavering uncertainty.
"Saurus, if we lose faith and act recklessly under the guise of strength, we will only diminish our effectiveness and cause more deaths."
Saurus swallowed, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, "Captain, what if our Primarch is already dead?"
"Then we avenge him. We are the sons of vengeance."
From within the thick fog, the towering figures of the Word Bearers began to emerge, standing out among the frenzied believers.
They were deliberately using their fanatical mortal followers as human shields against the fortress's artillery fire. The lasers, after piercing through multiple bodies, lost their power, forcing the Calth Auxiliary Troops to focus on these zealots—allowing the Astartes to close the distance.
The Ultramarines entered the fray. Grenade launchers thundered, heavy explosives tearing bloody paths through the enemy ranks. The Skitarii of the Mechanicus unleashed all their firepower to counter the oncoming wave of attackers.
Even the Word Bearers' auxiliary forces, despite their fanatical resilience, struggled to gain ground. Thousands of bodies were obliterated, reduced to unrecognizable remnants. Lasers, plasma fire, artillery shells, and explosive rounds intertwined in the chaos. Even the Word Bearers' Space Marines fell as they charged forward.
But the Word Bearers' bombardment and explosive barrages also inflicted heavy casualties on the Calth forces.
Even within trenches and behind cover, the Ultramarines were not safe. The power of Astartes-grade explosive rounds tore through barriers, shredding the soldiers taking refuge behind them.
Both sides suffered in this brutal tug-of-war. Many of the loyalist soldiers were fresh recruits—hurriedly conscripted and barely trained before being thrown into battle.
For some, merely firing a single shot was their greatest contribution. Some screamed and wept, others collapsed in terror. Some shouted the Emperor's name in desperation and charged at the enemy with melta bombs in hand.
Yet the Word Bearers advanced in disciplined formations, their numbers overwhelming the Ultramarines.
Some of their Astartes warriors, equipped with jetpacks, leaped directly into the Calth positions.
At such close range—nearly face-to-face—mortal soldiers stood no chance against the superhuman weapons of war. The reaction speed of the Astartes was far beyond human comprehension. As soon as they landed, their chainswords and power blades began their grisly work.
The enormous power of their chainswords allowed them to cleave fully-armored veterans in half from head to toe, their blood-soaked armor turning even more sinister.
The buzzing roar of the chainswords shattered the nerves of many soldiers. They lost all reason, succumbing to pure terror—only to be cut down even faster.
The Skitarii retaliated, their targeting systems locking onto the airborne Word Bearers, sending a storm of micro-missiles and plasma fire into the sky.
The Iron Hands continued their relentless bombardment. These battle-hardened veterans from Istvaan fought with cold, mechanical efficiency, their bolters vomiting death in controlled bursts.
"Bastards, Istvaan couldn't kill us. Are you ready to die?"
Ventanus led the charge. He and his adjutant pushed to the front lines, stepping over the blood-drenched ground, the remains of fallen soldiers mixing into a thick, sticky paste beneath their boots.
Ventanus lunged at a Word Bearer, severing his arm with his power sword before blasting a bolt round through his chest at point-blank range.
His adjutant intercepted another enemy, disrupting the trajectory of an incoming power sword with his gauntlet before crushing his opponent's skull with a single strike.
But more enemies poured in. Ventanus fired his bolter into the oncoming horde, his shots igniting bursts of flame as they struck enemy helmets and throats.
A monstrous Word Bearer emerged from the ranks, clad in armor inscribed with unholy runes. His massive two-handed chainsword roared, clashing against Ventanus' power sword with bone-shaking force.
The battle was far from over.
(End of Chapter)