Tau

Deadman's Bend

Korim heard the sound of the horn and knew what it meant.

'Mallik, send runners.  The Eldar are coming, from above and below.  Split Brund's boys into two squads: one at the lower barricade and one at the higher barricade.  Everyone else form up behind Brund's boys.'

'Aye, Sir!'  Sergeant Mallik relayed his commanders orders to the Legion runners.  Within seconds the Legion squads were positioned at the barricades to Deadman's Bend... and none too soon.

All the Mino-bultai saw was a slight shimmering of the air and a haze over the fallen snow.  But they smelt death coming their way.

From nowhere the Eldar blades appeared, slicing into the giant bull men.  Deadman's Bend echoed to the bellowing of the Mino-bultai.  Those who didn't fall immediately swung wildly at the thin air with their spiked hammers.

Small orbs of blue light showed where Eldar fell, but those flashes of light were few and far between.  Under the darkened overhang Korim watched as his men sliced, crazily at the air around them.  The smell of blood and sweat and fear lay all around.

The only sign of the Eldar was the occasional flicker of a blade, or the blue light if one fell.  It was only then that Korim realised the true nature of the Eldar, who had been born of light.  He realised that he had been played by them for the last few days.  Karrack Korim, The Eel, knew it was time to slip the noose they'd put round his neck.

'Mallik, find the squad commanders.  If you have any torches or oil light them up.  Form a ring around me, we're going to torch the forest below.'

'Aye, Sir!'

In the dark of the overhang Korim began to see flaming torches appear.  The smell of thick smoke filled his nostrils.  It was time for his men to break out.

Mallik was soon by his side once more and that brought a smile to Korim's face.

'Reyka, Brund, Yarling, Kurran, Gent, all alive Sir!'

'Good.  Testudo... turtle formation.  Form up.  Sheath swords.  Flames and torches in place of swords.'  A crazy grin hung on the face of Karrack Korim.

A squad of only twenty Legionnaires formed up around Karrack Korim, all that remained of the thousand strong Shardahn Legion.  Flaming torches flared amidst their inter-locking shields.  Slowly, but surely, the formation moved over the fallen bodies of their comrades.  Over the boulders of the barricades, the formation kept on moving, like an armoured creature with a single purpose: to survive.  Within the formation, Korim, like the hidden head of that armoured creature, yelled his orders.

'Move slow.  Down the forest trail.  Torch any brush or trees we pass.  Keep moving.'

From the trees, unseen, Eldar archers loosed arrows at the Legion's armour, but they were soon amongst the pines, on a small, winding trail that led into the forest.

Smoke rose all around the twenty Legionnaires.  Sergeant Mallik poured oil on the trail behind them and the air was soon thick with the smell of burning pine tree brush.

Korim wondered if entering the forest was a mistake, but he could see no other option.  And then, sweet music to his ears, he heard the bellowing of snow-striders and the snarling of karg wolves.  Korim was happier than ever to be surrounded by fire.