The moonlit night provided a beautiful spectacle. The bright satellite not only illuminated the orange cloud which dotted the sky, but also the surrounding woods and low scrubland. Titus, currently on patrol around the outer perimeter of his unit's defences, could not help but stare in awe at the shadows of trees and monoliths which created an atmosphere of serene peace about the place. This was soon to violently change, however, as Titus was brought back to his senses by the unmistakable howl of the Genestealer. In an instant, he had activated his night-vision instruments and levelled his bolter at the trees from whence the cry had emanated. By this time, Ithimric and Mercurous, who were also on perimeter duty, had joined him. Presently, the three were debating as to what their next move should be. This question was subsequently answered by the unit commander, Captain Aurous, calling for all patrol units to return to base over the intercom. As they back -tracked over their previous path, Titus turned towards the rear and caught a glimpse of a crouched, grotesque figure running at speed. With it's six long limbs, flat, oval-shaped head and spiny back, this was unmistakably a Genestealer. He levelled his bolter and lined the sights.

As the weapon spoke in deep, regular tones, the figure lurched and flew sideways with thick, liquid gushing from the gaping hole in it's rib-cage. As if in answer to the gun's call, a long, fierceful scream ripped through the air and reached Titus' ears. He turned to follow his comrades wearing a wide, relieved grin on his face.

Aurous, champion of Death's Breath Company and hero of the battle for Charlemaine, was poised as the centre-piece in a hive of activity. He stood directing the establishment of his unit's defences atop a small knoll whilst periodically scanning the horizon for movement. Aurous had learned from experience that defence against Genestealers was hopeless on the run, since a large majority of his troops would be cut down by the faster enemy. Set defences had the advantage of giving you a few long range salvos before they got too close. There was a slim chance of survival at best. With only twenty troopers under his command ( five of which had not returned from patrol ), consisting of Devastator and Tactical squads, the odds were grim to say the least.

Suddenly, reports flooded in from the Tactical squad at the base of the knoll, warning of horrendous hordes of hungry Genestealers rushing out from the tree-line. Instinctively, the Devastators opened fire with everything they possessed, laying a deadly curtain of steal and flame before the advancing masses. Genestealer carcasses fell under foot amidst cries of agony and pain. Before the first Genestealer had reached the primary defensive line, dozens had been cut down by the Devastators' dense barrage. However, it was now time for the Genestealers to retaliate, and they did so with remarkable zest and zeal.

The lead elements of the charge tore through the primary defensive line as if they were wax dummies. Their advance was checked only slightly by the reinforcements Aurous had ordered down the hill. The air was thick with shouts and cries of pain as man and Genestealer locked in battle. The Tactical squad fought a desperate, heroic battle to stop the enemy from penetrating through their ranks. A resolute, but futile effort! Meanwhile, the Devastator heavy weapons squad was still decimating the seemingly endless wave of vermin emerging out of the tree-line, creating a sea of cadavers several feet deep.

Aurous, sensing the graveness of his unit's situation, decided to descend the hill and assist the Tactical squad in dispersing this initial attack. He ran a gloved hand through his dirty, damp and unkempt hair and inhaled a dose of his special combat drug. In the one fluid motion, he had ululated an immense war cry, plummeted down the slope, buried the butt of his boltpistol in the head of a Genestealer and impaled another on the blade of his powersword. Obviously inspired by this turn of events, the remnants of the Tactical squad regrouped and counter-attacked. The Genestealers, sensing the turning tide of battle, and as if commanded by a silent, overpowering voice, halted their attack and disappeared into the bush from whence they had emerged. The surviving Space Marines on the grassy knoll bellowed an ancient chapter war chant in victory and, after the rune priest, Sabathius, had recited the liturgy for the souls of their departed brothers, the troopers started accounting for their losses and preparing for the next attack.

This came all too soon and caught the unit somewhat off guard. However, the trusty Devastator squad, which had suffered minimal casualties, reduced the adversaries' force by a quarter within seconds. Aurous, who was on the primary defensive line with the priest, Sabathius, and Ferric, his veteran sergeant, standing close beside him, waited patiently for the struggle to resume. When the Genestealers had advanced to within twenty metres of his position, Aurous ordered the Tactical squad to meet them.

So it was that the two combatants collided in a torrent of fury and anger. The Genestealers, driven by instinct and primeval savageness, and the Space Marines, compelled by blind faith, discipline and raw courage, clashed in this desperate struggle in which the prize for second place was certain death.

Aurous, as always, led the way. In the first action alone, he had charged the lead elements of the attack, dispatching them to the next life, and taken out several more with a frag grenade. Presently, he was engaged in a struggle with a huge Genestealer. He was under constant danger of receiving a deadly death-blow and he desperately fended off it's claws whilst also trying to deliver a fatal strike of his own. His face, lined with pain, strain and exhaustion, was no more than a foot from the Genestealer's gaping mouth with it's razor-sharp teeth, foul tongue and putrescent breath. He could smell the rank, putrid stench which was a characteristic trademark, but nevertheless a potent weapon in the creature's arsenal, and turned, gasping for breathable air. As he did so, the Genestealer ripped it's talon from the captain's grip and lashed wildly out in a feat of frenzy. Striking the commander's face, it left a deep, bloody gash running from his ear, across the cheek and down to his chin. Aurous screamed with pain and, with considerable effort, managed to position his power sword under the Genestealer's chin. Summoning all his available strength, Aurous thrust the weapon with both hands through the creature's jaw and continued to do so until it emerged just above the brow. Finally, he muttered a quick prayer and gave an almighty thrust. The head severed neatly in a torrent of blood off the body, which crashed to the ground in a shattered heap, twitching and shaking.

After composing himself and wiping away the blood dripping into his eyes, Aurous ordered his comrades to fall back and establish a new perimeter. However, before they could start, Ferric, the veteran sergeant, let out a disturbed cry and, pushing Aurous out of his path, threw himself on a grenade thrown by a hybrid Genestealer. His body violently vibrated for a second and then all was still. The commander stared down in disbelief at the individual lying before him. In true heroic fashion and characteristic Space Marine chivalry, Ferric had given his life to save that of the leader. Aurous, fighting back tears, finally came to his senses and, feeling the fury and hatred building within his body, readied himself to plunge into the main body of enemy in order to avenge his loss. However, he was held back by the rune priest, Sabathius, who reminded him of his duty to the unit. Reluctantly, Aurous turned and, with the slain Ferric around his shoulders, ascended the knoll.

At the crest, he found that the remaining Marines were an exhausted, depressed and melancholy assembly. Even after some words of encouragement and support from the commander and priest, one could still sense the disconsolate atmosphere. Due to the Genestealer's overwhelming numbers and total disregard for casualties, their victory seemed in the end to be inevitable and the annihilation of the Marines was, in all probability, probable.

When at last the enemy started their death charge, it seemed that luck had finally forsaken the Space Marines. The Devastators, whose heavy bolters and auto-cannons had previously proved reliable, now seized and jammed. The Tactical squad, already tired and drained, were swept aside by the renewed attack. Aurous and Sabathius stood in the centre of the Devastators, urgently endeavouring to reinforce their crumbling defences and offer encouragement to their battle brothers. The Devastators, a long-range heavy weapons squad by nature, traditionally did not fare well in hand-to-hand combat and, in this case, offered only token resistance. Soon, the last Devastator capitulated and Aurous and Sabathius found themselves alone on the apex of the knoll, staring at the menacing, death-dealing wave of black, brown and purple bearing down on their position. Presently, the rune priest turned to his chieftain and friend.

" What say you? " he enquired, indicating his intention with a nod towards the frenzied, oncoming Genestealers.

" Why not!? " answered Aurous with a broad grin. " Aut vincere..."

"...aut mori. " The priest finished the company motto.

With a final, parting glance, the two chums steadied their nerves, and then charged at the oncoming Genestealers.

Aurous found that he initially met with some success. Catching the enemy off balance, he managed to slay the leaders in his inaugural attack and burrow his way through the wall which presented such an immense obstacle. In his constant twisting and manoeuvring amongst the seething mass of Genestealers, Aurous caught his final glimpse of Sabathius.

The rune priest, some distance away by now, was bobbing up and down in an ocean of peril. Periodically, he would disappear under the surface, only to emerge several seconds later with freshly spilled blood oozing, thick and green from his axe and fist. However, the constant onslaught proved in the end to be too much for him. Aurous saw him swept off his feet by a huge attack wave that, after lifting him several feet in the air, finally drowned him under the surface from where he did not return.

This event had the effect on Aurous of concentrating his anger and hatred and emotion into a single, final burst of energy. Forthwith, Aurous lost control of his body and started a ruthless, frenzied assault on his foes. They replied with vicious slashes of their razor-sharp claws that passed precariously close to his vital points. For several minutes, blood, bone and limb flew through the air with cries of pain and horror paramount amongst the unbearable din of battle. In the end, nothing could defeat the sheer weight of numbers as Aurous finally succumbed to the pressure. Talons clawed at his face and armour until he plummeted to the ground, helpless.

However, as he looked up at the orange dawn sky, he found that he no longer felt pressure or pain and could no longer hear or see anything. See anything except the sky. The last image Aurous ever experienced on the cool, grassy knoll, was that of a flock of mysterious, Dark Angels descending from the clouds to transcend his soul to the Valhalla of his dreams.