The War for Rynn's World by Steve Parker and Mike Lee

Author:Steve Parker and Mike Lee
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Black Library
Published: 2014-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

The Azcalan Rainforest, Rynnland Province

The river curved and, following its slippery bank, Kantor and his battered fellow survivors saw Jadeberry Hill rising over the treetops in the near distance. The Hill was symbolic, representing, to Kantor’s mind at least, the coming end of a journey that should never have taken place. How different would things now be had the fortress-monastery not been sundered? How hard might the Chapter have been able to strike back at the xenos? He would never know, just as he would never know exactly how a single missile from the Laculum battery had managed to wreak such raw devastation on all he held dear.

Cortez, too, noted the profile of the hill as it became visible around the curve of the river and the trees on its bank. Opening a channel to Kantor, he said, ‘We are closing at last, Pedro. But I’ll wager the hardest part still lies ahead of us.’

‘I’m sure you’re right,’ replied Kantor. ‘The lack of communications bothers me. At this range, we should at least be able to hear some kind of traffic, even if it is weak and fragmented.’

‘Viejo reports nothing yet,’ said Cortez. Squad Viejo were on point, ranging ahead of the rest by half a kilometre. ‘It’s as if every wide-area transmitter on the planet was taken out of commission. Either that, or the orks are employing some kind of communications suppressor. We have encountered the like before.’

Kantor looked up at the sky over the wide expanse of the river. It was a mix of bright gold and dark grey. The Season of Rains would be here soon. How would the orks respond to it? Would it alter their behaviour somehow? He realised there was a gap in his knowledge. Documentation on the effects of weather patterns on the greenskin race was practically non-existent. If he lived through this, he would commission such a study by the Adeptus Mechanicus’ biologis arm. Such science was their exclusive domain, and forces throughout the Imperium would surely benefit by it.

Across the grey-gold sky, ork craft still occasionally roared, leaving smoky black trails like banners proclaiming this world as theirs. The very sight of them sent waves of anger and disgust through him. The thick forest canopy of the Azcalan had, until now, kept such things from plain view.

Jadeberry Hill loomed closer by the minute, its summit topped with clusters of grey mausoleums and white marble angels. They would reach its base within the hour. Peering at it, Kantor realised that there was movement on its summit. Even at full magnification, it was not yet clear what was going on, but he knew signs of a firefight when he saw them, no matter the distance.

He opened a general channel and said, ‘We must hurry, brothers. Conflict rages up ahead. Our brothers have need of us. Be ready.’

All along the muddy bank, the marching Adeptus Astartes prepared their weapons for battle once again, locking the last of their magazines into their trusty bolters and cocking them.

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