Painted in blood Epicurus kept quiet and avoided drawing undo attention of any of the men around him. He was not entirely surprised by those who had survived the crash in a well enough state to move forward. As he followed Winstanley about sifting through the wreckage he swore he could see faint white figures moving, but in an instant the vision had left him. For now silence would be his friend as all tactics and decisions were made he resigned himself to a rear post of the formation. Through wreckage and streets of fallen buildings they moved forward with little conversation until the Mikail the strange medic tried to break up the monotony. Epicurus was amused, but kept from commenting.
Cannis rallied to his brothers call and stood at attention giving a formal salute. "I am with you." Cannis followed his weapon at the ready and his eyes darting to avoid any surprises he was growing concerned with every passing moment that the enemy would find them before they could reunite with the rest of the guard or at the very least a tactical place to plan their next move. As they moved and Winstanley finished his confirmation of mission orders with a great amount of uncertainty and unease they came to the helm of the ship. Inside the pilot jolted toward Winstanley a strong man who had saved the lives of a few valiantly against all odds. His duty ended and he would be remembered and heralded with honor by those that still lived. As the smile grew across the pilots face Cannis approached and said last rites before placing a small token on him. As the group organized into its formation more tightly and left marching through the carnage that surrounded them he chose the flank of the group first to keep an eye on and protect Epicurus and second for his preference of always having the largest view of the potential battlefields ahead.
As all gathered among the broken land all senses aware and assaulted by the destruction that had been wrought by both sides on this world. Viber let the men rally and Winstanley act as he had been appointed to do so. As he felt the pain in his failing body mounting he took an injector from underneath his coat and gave himself medicine for the pain. "Just keep on moving." He whispered to himself as the dose was administered. For a moment his vision was hazy and words became a droning hum impossible to clearly understand. As his hearing and sight returned he heard Winstanley speak his name. Cracking his neck he moved forward with heavy feet to speak to the survivors.
"We are what remains the few who will fight for the many that were given this purpose. Agreed Winstanley. Prepare yourself for unholy sights and horrors once we reach that certain. What is at work in this city will challenge not just your body, but your mind." As Viber had finished speaking his voice had trailed off his hand gripping his canes head tightly. He had seen many times what the inquisition was capable of including on this world and often he could not help, but think of them as no better than the monsters they were intended to fight.
They had moved several streets up to an outpost known well by the soldiers fighting on this world. It had been battered by a tidal wave of bodies. The strikes against it were relentless day and night and the fights that raged flooded the streets with blood. Those who left and went toward the wall often didn't return whether dead or mad none knew and those who did were not quite themselves. They spoke of the strange things at work near the Wall of Flesh. The screaming expressions of the dead that made the foundation for it engraved in their minds haunting them.
Viber knew this place was a testament to arrogance and ignorance of those who often commanded from comfortable safe seats for the grunts in the muck and shit to give give blood and sweat for them. They had given them great weapons, but not enough men nor enough care to keep them going to keep them strong. That was the standard however it was how things were done just mindlessly throw men at the problem was often the solution of far to many who commanded the guard. Here though they were fighting their own kin their own kind and forces greater than that such plans would not work in this war yet some chose to still follow the tradition of idiocy.
The sound of low gothic began to ring out from around the corners. The regiment stationed here was an honorable one perhaps not the most recognized or most famous, but for those who knew of them there was a good amount of respect for the people who served in their ranks. It was good to know they in fact were alive and still maintaining their watch. As they came into view Viber positioned himself to foremost position within the formation of the group. There was a sense of excitement growing as they drew closer. It was cut short as the Sergeant came stomping forward. He exclaimed in a strange barrage not normal for anyone of his position especially for the medal he wore. It was painful to listen to undeserved authority and posturing by a lesser man.
The rage Viber long knew that beast that swelled inside him the fire stoked by the aggression and the suspicious nature of a man Viber could not place by face or name who bore an honor so high and one who did not seem to recognize him. Yet it was soothed only slightly by the man to the back who stood with the others posted here. He was a behemoth carrying a flamer like a toy and his deep soothing voice commanded true authority which was furthering the oddities of this situation growing in proof to be amiss. Viber held his tongue and let Winstanley speak, but he was quietly inspecting and scrutinizing every detail of the surroundings.
As Winstanley spoke Elou had disappeared from the ranks of their men with tension growing and suspicion high Viber couldn't help, but feel the paranoia encroach and whisper to him she was with them she was plotting against the unit. Quickly though any concern for this was shattered by confirmation of the ill faces before them. Viber in his head was screaming liars and thieves vermin and scum that cross he recognized not just it, but the name upon it. Sergeant Gregori Parvus a fellow hero of the Yssurran conflict who died of his lingering wounds after the last days. Viber hadn't know the man to well, but always respected him. Viber had never been on this world, but once on it did intend to visit the monument it wasn't to far from their objective after all...yet now he knew that monument was gone and all that was held within looted. They had desecrated a place worthy of reverence. Their blood would be spilled and their lives ended for this crime.
Viber with all restraint held himself firm from bursting into a bloody fury just yet. He approached his ebony cane connecting to the ground with a solid thud every step forward. He was now face to face with the so called Sergeant and he grinned with a disturbed look upon his face it was unsettling and unnerving how long he stood there like that. Then with no warning he began to laugh. At this point several of the men about looked at him assuming him mad curious if not worried what exactly what was happening.
"So Sergeant. Parvus? In spite of appearances of a younger man your an elder or perhaps more importantly you found out how to come back from the dead, but lost all memory of the wars you fought with me?" Viber spoke the words like venom his disdain and thirst for revenge evident.
Before the men could react or say anything in retort Viber began his bloody retribution. His hand had firmly been placed on the cane and as he pulled it up the blade was revealed. In a deft single motion from its unsheathing the blade found its place firmly within the Sergeant. His mouth open words wishing to come out, but only gasps of pain with the spitting of blood could find their way from him now. Viber pulled the man close to him by using the blade and driving it ever further the man now screaming and blood pouring from him. Viber was wet with blood and smiling wildly it had taken hold the beast within was on the battlefield once more. With the man slowly dying now close to him acting in some way as a shield he removed his bolt pistol from its holster with his left hand and fired it directly at the flamer tank on the back of the other man.
Viber laughed violently as the tank began to cry and the horrified and panicked faces of the heretics realized their impending doom. "You will burn and only ashes will remain!" Viber screamed amid his laughter. As the words left him he continued twisting and thrusting his sword into the man he was using as a shield for what purpose than his own twisted satisfaction it was uncertain. As the heretics and impostors now scrambled and cried like children the raw energy within the tank came into life. The explosion was a beautiful ultra-violent spectacle. Chunks of men and charred flesh danced about a dark red paste with black soot painted the field around and the body of this so called Sergeant was an unrecognizable shell. Viber had been mostly protected and now he clung to a just a blown apart torso missing all, but its head though even it hung on loosely much like the intestines dangling below. Never for a moment did Vibers vicious laughter stop as the whole event unfolded and now among the dead it seemed to echo.
It was broke and brought to a stop when the coughs of the pale man who had been furthest from the blast showed he had survived. Viber ripped the Macharian Cross from the torso dropping it and seemed intent to move forward to finish the job. As he did his knees began to buckle and he hurried to reassemble the cane and hold himself up. The shock wave from the blast had beaten and stiffened the old bones locking them into their place making it difficult to move with any speed or efficiency.
"There will be more prepare yourselves to cull every last one of these vermin." Viber exclaimed with great conviction. He stood now holding himself up with his cane his bolt pistol in hand ready for the assault.