A slightly smaller Mess

the scions follow, and before long he can see the slaughter heading towards their former position

Charles: Hera, can you sense anything?

Max: I'll see you tomorrow

*Jax snaps a shot into one of them. alerting them to the fortified hill.*

Hera: *is silent for a moment* "yes... A sort of... emptiness."

they hear shouting and such as they approach, a large number of cultist at their head

Charles: which way?

Serah: *on the hill, she sees jax approaching, the horde at his heels.* "Open fire, short bursts, pick your targets."

Hera: *She closes her eyes.* "This way...." *she starts walking further into the ruins, eyes closed*

Chard: you heard the lady, Fire, engage suppression doctrine!
*the scions unleash a punishing hail of firepower*

Charles follows her closely

*Serah puts down a disciplined hail of single bolt shells.*

Hera: *comes up to a tall obelisk, and presses her hands against it* "here."

the cultists go down in waves to the fire, but for now just keep coming

Charles:...yes... its here *puts a hand on it before it starts glowing, and a compartment opens up. the artifact is there.*

OOC:...

*Jax reaches the line, him and the scions running down the one safe path through the mines, marked by a line of white chalk. He turns on his heel, and begins to put down rapid fire into the oncoming horde, the heavy calibre rounds from his rifle passing through multiple cultists each*

Hera: "Mute."

*Mute appears, and unshoulders a gear bag, and starts zipping the artefact up in it.*

Emma: seeya. Thanks again.

Chard: Autonamous fire protocol! Fire!

Charles: right....lets get ready to *clearly senses something*....shit...SHIT! EVERYONE DOWN!

in a flash of light, a chaos terminator annihilation force, 30 man strong, teleports in around the ruin area, opening fire instantly

Max: *Smiles and returns to his house*

Serah: *Switches to fully automatic, dousing the oncoming force with bolt shells*

Mac: "SHIT! GET TO COVER!" *he pops shots at the oncoming terminators.*

Mute: "MMPH!" *he tackles hera to the ground, bolt fire snapping over their heads as they hit the hard stone*

Akira: "It work?"

cultists die in large numbers

Charles and anne stand directly between mute and hera and the enemy fire, him tanking through psychicness, her through the shield

Max: Flawlessly *He looks rather smug*

*The sallies have braced their weapons, and are pouring fire into them, one goes down in a cloud of red vapour as a shot from the multimelta lands dead centre of his chest.*

Serah: *with no need for inspiring words, she simply keeps firing.*

Akira: "Showoff."

Max: *Smiles* "how's your hand?"

the fire continues, charles also returning fire. its clear its rather hopeless

*scions do likewise. The chaos marines start to reach the front line of the attack*

*hera stands, draws her pistol and bellows at the top of her lungs, her eyes steeled.* "HOLD FAST, THE EMPEROR HOLDS US!" *she points at an oncoming terminator, and he is suddenly wreathed in flame, doing little damage, but blinding him, and cooking off the ammunition in his weapon*

Mac: *Stands, and pumps shell after shell into the burning terminator, tearing the weapon in his hands to shreds.*

Logen: "DO OR DIE!" *he leaps from behind a pillar, and engages a terminator in close combat, the screaming blades of his chainsword scraping a gash across his helm*

Jack: *Springs towards the same terminator as logen, and joins the attack, powerswords singing.*

Before any more blows can be struck a voice echoes over the battlefield. its not from our group
"RAVAGERS! HOLD YOUR FIRE!"
Charles visibly freezes at the sound of the voice.
On the voice's order, the terminators hold fire. Those engaged with logen and jack push their assailents back, and then back away

Logen: "Fall back while we have the chance! MOVE!"

Hera: "YOU HEARD THE MAN!"

it becomes obvious fast clear that they're surrounded.
A lone figure starts to approach the group from the terminators. they're in power armour, a large sword in one hand, a plasma pistol in the other, horns on their head and a cloak on their back. Charles stands up and faces them.
"....I know you're going to hate me for this but I need you all to trust me, else we're all dead. Hold fire."

*They all level their weapons at him... but diligently refuse to fire. Mute steps in front of charles and hera, heavy bolter levelled, murder in his eyes.*

Charles: it's alright mute. *approaches the chaos lord. the two draw pistols and aim them at eachother, but no shots are fired*
???: ....Charles.
Charles: Sevastus. You've changed. A lot.
???: You haven't. What are you doing here?
Charles: Leaving.

Hera: *Stares down the sights of her pistol at him*

Logen: *Walks in behind him, with the other salamanders, levelling weapons, chainsword revving.*

Jack: *Stands by logen, blades at the ready*

Kranon: Your compatriot doesn't like me. I don't think you do anymore either.
Charles: What do you expect? You've become a monster, Kranon. And your men have become even worse monsters. How many innocents died because of you Kranon? Because you gave up on your oath of Martyrdom?
Kranon: I know. 
Charles:....I tried to save you Sevastus.
Kranon:....I know.

Logen: "You obviously show regret, traitor. Throw yourself upon the emperor's judgement. Be free."

Kranon: No. Not till my brothers and I are free. 
Charles:...now what.
Kranon:....My men will stand down. Do not engage them, and they will not engage you. You may pass unharmed. We are even now Charles.
Charles: the next time we meet Sevastus...I will have to kill you.
Kranon:...I know.

*The legionaries simply stare down sights at the monster before them. Rage boiling in each and every one, logic keeps it in check... but only barely.*

Kranon goes to leave...then stops.
Kranon: Carstien...one last thing. Take this. You're the only damn imperial I trust to do something with this.
Charles: *catches the datastick that kranon tosses him* Sevastus...go. Before I let my apprentice incinerate you. 
Kranon turns and walks away, before in a teleporty zap, they're gone.

Hera: *roars in frustration, and punches the stone obelisk next to her, cracking the ancient structure.*

Logen: "I would feel pity, if not for the billions he has killed."

Charles: next time hera. Next time, I make damn sure that we have enough men and firepower that you can gut that bastard.

*there is a general uneasy silence, noone know what to say. Mac sits down with his head in his hands, hera leans her head on the ancient obelisk, mute simply stands, and breathes deeply. jack paces back lucy places a single hand on mute's shoulder, and hakken raves to himself, his helmet sealed and his vox off, to all observers he seems to be simply waving his arms, and punching the stone pillars around them. The salamanders simply maintain an uneasy silence.*

Charles walks up to hera, slowly

Hera: *she doesn't move.*

he puts a hand on her shoulder gently

*with a hand on her plate, the sound carries through her armour, with her vox turned off, and her helmet sealed, she is gently sobbing*

Charles gently hugs her.

Hera: "Oh god... " *sobbing.*

Charles: it's alright. Let it out. I'm going to make a promise to you. That once we've dealt with these artifacts...Kranon dies. By your damn hand.

Hera: *deep breaths.* "Alright... i'm fine... its just... fuck i'll tell you later." *she pushes him away, and pushes herself off the pillar*

Hera: "ALRIGHT LADIES! Pick up your shit and get moving, that arsehole might go back on his word, then we won't have a chance to kill the fucker!"

*this seems to snap the other legionaries out of their half daze, and they quickly collect their dropped equipment*

Charles: We need to get back to the LZ, that means back the way we came. Be on your toes just incase. And I swear to you all on my life, that Sevastus Kranon's days are now officially numbered!

Mac: "Amen to that..."

Charles lets the others go first, taking up the rear as they head back +Jax, we're moving to extract, disengage and get back to the ship+

Jax: "ALRIGHT PEOPLE, FALL BACK!"

Chard: YOU HEARD THE MAN! SUPPRESSING FIRE, KEEP THEM PINNED, WE'RE MOVINGOUT

Before long charles n co reach the LZ and the dropship arrives

OOC: The Viking invaders have crushed all Anglo-Saxon resistance. Scotland has all but fallen, with the remnants of their people desperately trying to hold the highlands. Northumbria has bent the knee and serves the invaders willingly. Mercia, they fell with barely a fight. King Aethelred of Wessex, has died and his dream of an England shattered. In its place is Danelaw.

But there is yet hope.

In the East of the British Isles a sleeping giant has awoken. And with its conquest of the Emerald Island nearly complete, the Red Dragon of Wales now looks to the west hungrily. The Danish have grown fat and weak. Ripe for the slaughter.

OOC: Yeah...upon reading that again it's pretty fucking awful. Yay!

Hera: "Move your asses, on the bird come on!" 

Jax: *he waits until the scions have pulled back, then he and serah abandon the defenses, once they are safely clear, he detonates the half tonne of plastic explosives laid across the line.*

BIGBOOM
valkyries arrive to pick up jax n co

Charles waits for the others to board before he does. Silently. A look of anger and sorrow on his face.