Squadrons of Iron Warriors marched side by side closing rank and lifting their bolters. There came the click of action sliding as a new bolt shell slipped into the chambers. Overhead the sky was dark cloaked in a broad drape of black clouds and lightning bolts played across the swollen channels. Two Warsmiths lead the company striding side by side. Automata lurched behind the traitor legionnaires mindlessly drawn into the hunt. They slowly converged around a spiraling hill. A staircase crafted from deep marbled stone twisted up the sides all the way to the very top.
As one the Iron Warriors inhaled gene lock scented to the spoor of the assassin. The stench was overpowering. "We have you surrounded." said one of the Warsmiths overcharging his speech through the iron vox clamped to his chest. "Show yourself." A crack of thunder split the sky as a lightning bolt crashed down on top of the hill electrifying the stone. Sparks shots off etching into their armor. The smell of fresh ozone cleared away the spoor scent.
"Up here." came a solitary husked voice. As they all looked up there came a crack in the clouds and a sliver of blinding bright light crashed through illuminating the top of the hill. The Iron Warriors looked up to see a single figure silhouetted against the blackness. His hands were free grasping at the long hilt of a black sword struck deep into the hard stone.
"Open fire." came the command from the other Warsmith. In perfect unison they squeezed the bolter triggers to rapid fire. The caps exploded incorrectly tapped, one by one each bolter exploded ripping arms apart and disfiguring the Iron Warriors.
Slowly the black blade slid free from the stone and the assassin lifted the weapon over his unmasked face taunting the enemy. He then crouched into a run sprinting through the spiral crashing into the enemy tank. The black sword cut like a razor through flesh as it shredded the Iron Warriors.
