Author Notes:
Ten cookies to whoever can spot the Easter Eggs in the new GSS chapter. And yes, the new chapter was a stupid joy to write about.
Now then, a bit of an update. Due to my recaf-starved brain, the Monthly Recruitment Drive will begin from the 7th of June to the 20th of June, a bit later than normal. Still the same 15% discount, and it's a good offer for anyone wishing to enjoy some chapters ahead and a couple of benefits.
Mom's recent health check up hiked her medicine price a bit while I am still not well enough from my stint of allergy. Still running the same dying keyboard, but I think I managed to smack it to work now (?). No more unintended Caps Lock, for a short while, hopefully.
... And that's pretty much it. Thank you, all of you, for enjoying the stories and being patience with me. Peace and prosperity to you all.
P.S: Blame Nicolae for pointing me to a host of female names for all of the Primarchs.
There are advanced chapters on P-atreon for both of my fics, with a couple of special bonuses if you read the fine print :D
https://www.patre-on.com/Heartbreak117
https://ko-fi.com/heartbreak117/goal?g=0
Income goal 729/800 USD (The increase to 800 is for me to procure medicine for allergy and to replace my broken down PC equipment)
For my fics:
https://www.scribblehub.com/series/55793/reich-marshal-of-the-belkan-reich/
https://www.webnovel.com/book/reich-marshal-of-the-belkan-reich_23809095505377305
https://photos.app.goo.gl/waZgkRa3UQhqKQBi9
https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1375924/in-the-grimdark-sector-with-a-system/
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"You all better get aboard the cargo sled or risk injuries by collapsing buildings. The Adeptus Mechanicus is not responsible for simulated arena injuries." None other than Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl calmingly urged the eliminated participants in the Salamander-Cadian spar to swiftly evacuate the combat zone.
After Johnson's team's suicidal attack against a member of Kharak Squad, the last Salamander has tried to make his way up the stairs to present a face-off against Ein, the last Cadian. Yet, annoyingly, Ein detonates the stairway, causing a heap of rubble to block the Astartes' path. Right now, the Astartes is still trying to punch an opening through, thus creating a brief lull that is used to 'rescue' the eliminated combatants. With aid from some Tech-priests and Servitors who arrive aboard jet-powered sleds, members of Salamander Kharak Squad and Cadian 8th's 3rd Platoon make themselves scarce of the tower. They, Astartes and Cadians alike, board the sleds that hover by the edge of the building with a sense of urgency before being flown away. Now, why do they have to rush this, one may ask?
Well, even if one is not a spectator like the rest of the JTF, one can easily infer that 3rd Platoon has rigged the entire tower to blow, given what one has seen of them so far. Indeed, since the Cadians understand that, one way or another, the tower will fall under the Astartes' assault, 3rd Platoon buried multiple explosive charges in the foundation and supporting pillars of the building. Wired to explode all at once with a single press of the detonator, the trap is a true embodiment of the mentality:
"I'm going down, but I'll take you with me!"
Or that should have been the case if Ein didn't straight-up jump off the tower, much to the worry of a few JTF spectators. In a daring maneuver to vacate herself off the soon-to-be demolition site, Ein takes her equipment and the primed detonator, and hooks herself to a descender rope, before stepping away from the ledge. Instead of a slow, and controlled descent all the way to the ground floor, however, Ein faces herself downward with her feet running along and downward of the side of the tower, thus creating a swift momentum. After going nearly halfway down the building, Ein kicks against the building, flinging herself across the air and beyond the war-torn street below. Midair and losing altitude, Ein disconnects herself from the rope and braces herself. After a brief moment of freefall, Ein tumbles across the partially collapsed roof of a bombed apartment complex. Her body rolls along the roof multiple times with multiple points of contact to bleed off the extreme momentum before Ein rights herself to slide down the jagged slope of the collapsed canopy. Ultimate, Ein comes to a skidding halt with two feet on the floor and her back rested against the slope she just slid down.
"Ow~! Ow~! OW~~!!!" Ein complains, squinting her eyes as she rubs her head. "Note to self, wear a helmet next I have to do a bungee jump."
Simulated or not, it's a miracle that Ein didn't receive anything worse than a few scrapes and bumps after her dangerous stunt, but that's beside the point. Swiftly checking her equipment to see that they're still in working order, the Imperium sure built things to last whenever they could, Ein then pulls out the detonator before looking upward back at the top of the tower she just jumped from.
"Fire in the hole, I guess..."
CLACKCLACK
Near immediately, multiple explosions wreck across the floors of the already half-destroyed tower. Windows are shattered, and debris and scorched furniture are thrown out of the building, with flame and dark smoke belching out everywhere as the tower collapses into itself. Yet, before Ein can even think about whether or not it's enough damage, her instinct screams. If there's one thing Ein never fails to listen to, it's her instinct, so Ein books it immediately, not even bothering to look at the still collapsing structure. From the collapsing upper floor, a figure dashes and jumps into the air, with black smoke coiling around his form and the marvelous firedrake coat flowing freely in the winds. He jumps in the same direction Ein is and were she acted a bit late, the bolter rounds the Salamander fired midair would have slammed her straight to the deck.
As Ein sprints out of the line of fire and into the building, and as the dust cloud kicks up by the tower's collapse blanketing the radius around it and limiting visibility to near zero, the Cadian Corporal can't help but comment audibly.
"I guess two could play that game..."
Behind her, the sole remaining Astartes performs a superhero landing on the street, the pavement cracked and concave. With one fist pushing against the ground, the Salamander stands up with his bolt pistol training at the apartment complex's proper. Then, the chase is on.
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I know where the Salamander is, and I know that there're some terrains in between us, but that knowledge is equal to jack shit when we all know that the Salamander can outrun my pace easily. The more unfortunate part is that this city block that we are in is sparsely mined. The few traps I managed to come across and place behind me and in the Astartes' path are easily shrugged off by him. Frankly, what I am doing right now is no different than trying to run away from a hyper-speed tank that can track where I am accurately. It's quite futile to run away, there's only so much distance I can cover before being shot in the back unceremoniously. With little time left before the Salamander catches up to me, I have to improvise.
I sprint down the raised street of the ruined city block, ahead of me is a set of railings that overlooks what seems to be a fountain square. Simulated as it may be, the fountain is quite lifelike and ornate despite its modest size, viewable at a distance from where I am. In my final acts of defiance, I pull out my belt of grenades, two Kraks and two Frags, before dropping them behind a destroyed automobile in the middle of the street. Knowing that the Salamander is just right behind me, I pick up speed as I am near the railings that separate the upper street from the lower fountain square with the Emperor's statue in the center. Kicking against the floor, I flip myself over guardrails and fall to the lower urbanscape. With my vision turned upside down, I aim my Long-las as where I tossed my belt of grenades, just in time to see the Salamander crashing out of an alleyway and charging right by it. We both gaze at each other and fire at the same time. Yet, before the bolt round can even leave the chamber of the Salamander's pistol, the laser from my Long-las already set off one of the Krak grenades. A chain reaction occurs as the Krak grenade's explosion also detonates the two Frags, causing the Salamander to slightly stumble and his aim to deviate. The bolt round comes flying, of course, but narrowly scrapes against my pants as I fall and tumble down the steep that separates the upper streets from the lower level. Understandably, it hurts quite a bit as I am once again physically battered as I try to right my body into another slide downward.
"I really should treat myself better... Damn it!" Due to my expedient slide, I can't slow myself properly and come to a heavy roll upon contact with the ground.
Understandably, I have to protect my head first and foremost, wearing no helmet at all, and trust that my equipment can survive the constant punishment I am subjecting them to. To my chagrin and perhaps most of the spectators out there, the loud banging noises created by my Flak Armour and Long-las hitting the ground are very painful to hear. Still, I ignore the protest of my physical body and equipment. Instead, I quickly get back on my feet to run towards the Fountain of the God Emperor, aptly named so by the epitaph inscribed onto the side of the blessed structure. Sensing danger, I jump into another roll, Emperor please stop making me roll on the floor, and duck behind the fountain, just barely in time for a bolt round to slam into the pavement behind me. As I sit with my back against the fountain's edge and my Long-las tucked close for an inspection, I realize that I am left with nowhere to run. The square is unexpectedly much too sparse, and anything that can be used as cover, other than the fountain, will have me being shot in the back if I run to them. Nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. Then comes the booming voice of the Salamander standing by the edge of the upper street.
"Well met, Cadian sniper! You have been putting a marvelous stand." The Salamander above bangs a fist against his chest plate. "Be proud, for you and your allies have earned the respect of our brotherhood. But now, it's over, Cadian, I have the high ground!"
I smile at the sincere compliment, taking a deep breath, I calm my beating heart as I analyze. Indeed, how shall I proceed from here? A heroic final stand, staring right into the visor of the Astartes, or a desperate last gasp. Ballsy, cowardly, or cunning? How should I present myself so that I don't disappoint myself, my comrades, even my current sparring partner, but more importantly, my Mama? With dozens of thoughts running in a split second in my mind, inspiration struck when I gaze up at the simulated Heaven and see the dust particles floating in the air.
The wind is picking up...
I then look around me, scanning my current position. True to any Imperial square worth a damn, there are gigantic banners and flags of the Imperium of Man draped on all corners of the fountain square. Yet, what I take notice of is to my right, the Aquila flag draped over the side of a building on the upper streets. The flag is a bit torn up, but that's not important. I note it because it's being kicked up by the wind. If my front is the cardinal North, the flag is over on the East, the Salamander is direct South, the winds' direction is Southwest... Then I have a working plan. It's desperate, it may not even work, but it's the only thing I have going for right now.
Having decided on a plan, I go on to lay down on my back, my Long-las braced against the floor and supported by my arms. Aiming at the ropes that are holding up the Aquila flag, I pull the trigger twice.
Right... Left...
Here goes nothing...
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From his advantageous position, the Salamander gazes in mild curiosity as his visor picks up the heat signature of two laser beams being fired toward the East.
"A distraction? Surely you don't expect me to fall for that?"
Then, as the Salamander zooms into Ein's position, he is shocked when a golden Aquila symbol flies across his sight, obstructing his view of Ein completely.
"What!?"
Distracted by the sigil of the Imperium, the very thing adorned on his power armor, the veteran Salamander stalls momentarily. By the time he realizes the price for his distraction and readjusts the aim of his pistol, Ein is already out of cover and has taken a one-knee kneeling position.
"Damn!"
The Astartes and Cadian aim at each other, one on the high ground while the other is taking the underdog position. Both sides pull the trigger at the same time. The supercharged beam coming from Ein's Long-las arrives first, scorching the edge of the blown-away Aquila flag before hitting the Salamander. Then came a bolt round tearing apart the flag altogether before striking Ein's Flak Armor a split second later. As the tattered remnants of the Aquila flag drift out of view and onto the ground, two thumps can be heard.
CEASE! THE SPAR IS OVER!