Orpheus lead the remaining Templars through a dark tunnel. The Tyranids had been vanquished, the brawl was over. Bits of bleached bones and broken skulls picked free littered the floor beneath them crunching into pale white dust as their armored boot soles tread over them. One of the surviving Sword Brethren held up an electric torch with his remaining arm illuminating the path ahead. Sigils of corruption had been painted in blood covering the walls and a grotesque pantheon of skulls had been nailed in place. Some skulls were xenos in origin such as the eldar while others were human. Orpheus noticed many of the sigils were Khornate but there were plenty others to represent other denizens of the warp. He felt the Hellblade growling as he sheathed it and reached for his artificed bolt pistol, slamming a fresh clip into the magazine. All was silent except for the constant crushing of bone.
They came to a terminus blocked by a hinged heavily armored door embedded into the tunnel. The champion motioned to a Techmarine whom came forward carrying a heavy lascutter. Igniting the tip the adept began to slowly cut through the outer hinges. Blue sparks showered the air as the rest of the party hung back watching him complete his task in utter silence. Finally he was done, storing the lascutter and then a lone terminator strode up behind him. Revving his chainfist the Sword Brethren punched into the center of the barrier easily carving it apart. The ruined doors slid apart clanging against each other as they crashed down.
Orpheus was the first to step across the boundary and enter the inner sanctum. Inside the air was fetid and smelled of fresh offal. Waves of pungent trapped atmosphere poured out back into the tunnel behind them. Fitting a rebreather across his nose and mouth the champion stepped towards the center of the forbidden chamber. Something huge and humanoid in form lay crucified against a large fallen brass symbol representing the eight limbed star of Chaos. Its Crimson armor was broken in many places, fragments of bone jutting out from some of the rusted rents. "By the holy Emperor." mouthed Orpheus as he looked up to see the gigantic swollen skull protruding from the broken face plate of the cracked crimson helm. Long links of mechatendrils spilled from the top of the skull and its metal teeth still gnashed against each other. Prodding the fallen armored body with his boot Orpheus watched carefully for any reaction but other than the constant chattering of its teeth it remained inert. "Scour the area." commanded the champion.
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