Exorcism at Elms Vale

The chair groaned under the weight of the ancient artificer armour clad space marine as he slumped into it. Tutor Zeno tried to make himself comfortable, but the discomfort he felt was more intellectual than physical. The performance of the neophytes troubled him; the flora should not have caught them so unaware. The neophytes had all been schooled on the possible dangers of the planet. Zeno shock his head the recent cohorts had not performed as well as was expected, and the thought of the falling standards troubled him. The veteran warrior picked up his auto-quill he would have to inform the senior tutor of his findings. Zeno disliked the administrative side of his role, but performances had to be evaluated and reports for the chapter master had to be written.

Zeno sat back in deep contemplation oblivious to the howling storm that was raging outside of the fortress monastery of the Wardens of Dubris with his administrative work done he could take a few moments. The deep chambers that he had been given allowed him to escape some of the tedium of chapter command and his mind returned to the overthrow of the tyrant Nearchus. It had been a glorious victory, one that had seen him elevated to the elite cadre. Drinking deep of his old memories the ancient warrior did not stir as the Lord Warden of Dubris entered his chambers. Before the commander of the Wardens of Dubris could speak Zeno raised his hand and spoke. “We know of your troubles and will of course aid you; it is the least we can do for the hospitality that you have shown us. I have studied the opponent we will face. We will need one of your ancients to accompany us, with their support I think this creature will be put to rest.”

The Mentor legion had lost twenty of their best servitors as they computed the course of the infernal demon, the very act of trying to fathom the actions of a creature of the ruinous powers had been too much for the human computers.  Their sacrifice had allowed the Elite Cadre to get ahead of the creature, and the names of those damned for acts against the Imperium would be given places of honour, their redemption complete.

Activating his jump pack Brother Wilson of the Wardens of Dubris soared through the air.  He had been tasked with engaging the demon at close range to allow the Mentor legion to get into position. 

The daemonhost looked up as he saw brother Wilson hurting through the air.  As the demon bounded towards the dreadnought`s landing spot brother Wilson opened fire.  The bolter rounds bent around the demon as if they were repulsed by its very existence.

 Gallglut Fatflesh did not wait for brother Wilson to hit the ground before he attacked.  The preternatural speed of the demon overcame the dreadnought`s defensive routines, but even its warp spawned claws could not penetrate the armour of the ancients.

Having received the signal from brother Wilson the mentor legion elite cadre moved into position and activated their targeting web.  The five-man squad`s weapons slaved to one another, when the time came to fire they would fire in unison with lethal effect.

The demon, Gallglut Fatflesh, screamed in frustration as his claws raked harmlessly across the armoured plates of brother Wilson.  The mortal was proving irritatingly hard to deal with, and with the arrival of more mortals Gallglut decided that it was time for him to break away from this conflict.

Brother Calliphon pulled the trigger of his bolt-gun moments before any other members of his squad and all their guns sounded in harmonious unison.  The deadly rocket propelled rounds slammed Gallglut Fatflesh, any mortal opponent would have been shredded by the fusillade.  Gallglut was no mortal opponent, though.  The rounds barely slowed him down in his escape.

Brother Wilson had no intention of allowing the demon filth to escape and engaging his jump pack he shot through the air barrelling into the demon.  The two opponents stood up cautiously looking for any weakness in each other.  In the blink of an eye Gallglut stuck the dreadnought.  His blow tore a deep gouge into the ceramite plates of the dreadnought, ripping out crucial servos in the dreadnought`s torso.  The demon licked the cables in triumph savouring his momentary victory.  In response, brother Wilson lifted his power assisted left leg and brought it down with a squelching thud into the demon breaking its back.  Brother Wilson repeatedly stamped on the helpless daemonhost until it was nothing more than a wet puddle of mangled flesh.