The Summons: Fluffy Battle Report

Hearts-King Remy shivered in the confines of his Chimera despite the heat. It wasn't right to let the men know how he felt on the inside, but he couldn't help it. Despite his training, despite the assurances of his superiors, he could feel that this was wrong.

A xenos strike force had been sighted just hours before by Hearts-Queen Card pushing fast towards the 24th's perimeter. All that stood in between the combined force of Tau and Eldar was a single squad and armored sentinel from the recon company, not nearly enough to hold the enemy at bay. Remy's squad, a small mechanized squad of Black Jacks and one of Queen Card's scout sentinels were all that could arrive to provide assistance. No other forces would be able to reach the perimeter in time. The Inquisitor's response had been clear and to the point. "Do not let the xenos interfere. Perform the summons."

Remy shivered again. Just remembering those words sent a chill down his spine. He had done as he was ordered- the cards were laid out in concentric circles of power, blood and sand had been sprinkled over them as the intonations had been chanted. He had reached out to and through the cards, calling out into the void.

And They had heard him.

Their voices, screams, howls and shrieks had echoed- STILL echoed through his mind, furious at the binds that had been placed upon them. These had increased in strength when he had whispered the forbidden words into the maelstrom:

"Blood.

Pain.

Souls.

Come and reap."

The fiends cackled, took reality with a forceful grip and clawed their way into the world.

---

That was 15 minutes ago. As the Chimera barrelled into position, the battlefield was filled with the roar of grav engines, the buzzing of energy weapons, the crack of railguns... and the screams. He would never, had never, forgotten those screams. He, after all, heard them all the time.

The scream of metal as crab claws sheared through armor.
The scream of dying Eldar as reality warped and twisted around them.
The scream he later learned unleashed from his own throat as he came close- too close- to losing control.
And the screams of impossible creatures, beings forged of dark myth and sin, singing praises to their masters as they slew and were slain in return.

Despite the horrors surrounding them, his men had performed bravely. The lone squad on the scene had managed to neutralize the lone Devilfish that had broken through the daemonic onslaught. On the far side of the battlefield two bound servants of Tzeentch ran down the opposition while the Hearts-Queen's sentinel had broken the Tau and driven them off their firing position. The armored sentinel, piloted by none other than Steven "Stompy Jr." Marlow himself had lent his firepower to victory while keeping a close eye on the summoned "allies."

He would later report that it was an almost flawless victory- only an immobilized sentinel marred the otherwise impeccable outcome, the enemy broken, bloodied and running. The Tau had lost everything, their few remaining troops captured for interrogation. The Eldar had fled the battlefield after the last of their aspect warriors had been slain by the rampaging Daemon Prince.

Remy had held the line. His cards, as always had done their job. Yet still he shivered, looking out into the growing twilight, wondering for how long before even the cards would stop holding the screams at bay...