Crusade of Remnant
Siege of Vale
Death Korps of Krieg
The room was grey, made of semen and concrete alike. The lights on the roof flickered as an explosion rang nearby as dust fell to the unlucky inhabitants below them. There are thirty people in the room, they sat on the side of the room leaving the middle to be filled with crates of heavy weaponry and equipment; Heavy machineguns, ammunitions and multiple types of Dust.
Ruby Rose, the leader of Team RWBY was one of the people inside the room along with her teammates sat beside her. Their bodies were tensed, clasping their hands together or grabbing their weapon tightly as another explosion rang nearby, shaking the ground beneath their feet and flickering the lights above.
“Fucking hell,” Yang Xiao Long, half-sister of Ruby Rose and one of the four members of team RWBY cursed, loud enough for the entire room to hear her, “When will they stop their bombardment? It’s been six hours since we have been trapped here in this damned bunker with nowhere to go.”
“Calm yourself, Xiao Long, if you wanted to so badly to go outside, go out there and let yourself be killed by your foolishness.” The man’s voice was heard throughout the room, it was stern and sharp enough to rival Professor Goodwitch from Beacon Academy, even outmatch her.
Lieutenant Laurence, an officer of the Protector of Vale or the Guardian of Vale as they were called, glaring at Yang. He was a middle aged man, probably in his fifties, but the scars on his face makes him looks older.
Yang turned her head sharply to the lieutenant, “What do you mean ‘calm’?! Didn’t you see that they want to kill us all, we should join-”
“And let the Imperium ruled us all?” The Lieutenant interrupted, “We don’t know what happen to us when the Imperium ruled over Remnant and nobody on Remnant wants to be ruled by an unknown empire. Just because their empire name is ‘The Imperium of Man’ doesn’t mean that we are their friends.”
“But they are people, not alien.” Ruby said, joining the conversation.
Lieutenant Laurence turned his head at Ruby, “How naïve are you,” he mocked, “just because they are people doesn’t mean that we are fine with them.”
“But-“
“Shut your mouth, kid!” Another voice snarled from another side, it was a wolf Faunus, judging by the ears on his head and a Guardian based on his green uniform. On his hand is a bolt action rifle, a weapon for the Guardian, “Nobody wants to hear your childish opinion.”
“Hey, leave my sister alone!” Yang snarled.
“Then wake her from her ‘Rainbow Land.’ ” The Faunus made a sign with his hands.
“Leave him alone, Yang.” Weiss Schnee put her hand on her teammate’s shoulder to calm her.
The last member of team RWBY, Blake Belladona, nodded her head in agreement. She didn’t say too much, only speaking when she was needed to.
The war defending Remnant from the Imperium of Man has begun since a month ago -or the Crusade of Remnant as the Imperium called it- and during that time, a kingdom has fell within weeks, the Kingdom of Mistral.
The island of Menagerie was different, they surrendered themselves willingly to the Imperium.
The Huntsman was an obstacle for the Imperium during the first battle of Mistral. They clearly didn’t expect the various Semblances the Huntsman posed but with their advanced technology and firepower, the Imperium managed to put down the Huntsman.
There are a rumor about the Slaughter of Shinrin forest on Mistral, where a group of local Huntsman made their final stand against the Imperium. Rumor says that there is a Huntress that survived the slaughter. She warned them about those who oppose the Emperor only met with death in the hands of His Angels. Then after few days she was gone. No one knows what happened to her.
It has been three days since Vale has been sieged by the Imperium and for three days, the city of Vale has been brought into ruin by the nonstop bombardment, making the city resemble a apocalyptic situation Ruby saw on the films she saw on TV before.
Lieutenant Laurence was seen speaking through his com. Through his face, Ruby could tell there was something bad happening. Eventually he stopped speaking through his com and turned his face.
“Huntress Xiao Long,” He called her turning his stare at her, “Today is your lucky day.”
Yang blinked for few times, “Huh?”
“Get your arse up, lass.” The Lieutenant ordered then turned to the others. “All of you up, we got our order. There had been movement that the Imperium will attack in few minutes, all personnel of the 1st Guardian Company and 4th Atlesian Infantry Company are ordered to defend the wall.”
Right, the Guardians are in command of defending Vale. That means her status as a Huntress meant nothing but a soldier. Ruby frowned, she was supposed to be a Huntress after four years of training at Beacon but the new war on Remnant forced every Huntsman-in-training to become a full-fledged Huntsman.
Standing from her seat, Ruby faced the Lieutenant. The light blared red as the door slowly rose up behind the Lieutenant. “Sergeant Kevin,” he called, the wolf Faunus from before stood in attention, “your squad will take all these heavy equipment to the Wall. We need it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now, ladies,” He turned to others, cocking his bolt action rifle, “it’s time for war.”
When they came out from the bunker, they quickly made their way towards the Wall. Under the command of Lieutenant Laurence, they moved through building to building, avoiding the open street as they can.
It was not easy to say, as the heavy equipment slowed them down. Eventually, they arrived at the top of the Wall. Team RWBY was left with agape mouths when they finally look at the other side of the wall or the Imperium’s forces.
“Holy shit,” Yang muttered under her breath. What once was a lusty green forest has been changed into a barren wasteland filled with numerous trench lines from the mountains on the east to the sea on the west. Tanks and armored tracks moved in a formation on the side of the trenches.
The artillery emplacement behind the trench line held their barrels up to the sky, shattering the sky as they fired again. It surprised them that the Grimm haven’t overrun and destroyed the forces of Imperium.
“Sir,” A new voice said, team RWBY look at their side as a man wearing an Atlesian uniform approaching the Lieutenant, extending his hand as the man stopped in front of him.
“It’s good to see you again, William.” Laurence shook the man’s hand, “And I see that you’re a captain now.”
“Yeah, and you still stuck on Lieutenant.”
The Lieutenant chuckled, “And you still has those baby eyes on your face.”
It was clear that there are some history between them that they dropped their formalities. Captain William was a tall and handsome man, his skin was pale like any Atlesian. His blue eyes shone under his military grey cap, from his neck to his toe he wore the grey Atlesian armour. The Captain smiled then nodded, turning his eyes at the outer side of the wall.
“By the gods, they are so many,” He said looking at the Imperium’s forces “reminds me when we faced the biggest Grimm horde that went their way towards Vale.”
Laurence nodded in agreement, “Yes, but the difference is you were a Sergeant back then.”
William laughed, “On that, I agree,” He turned his gaze to team RWBY, “are they the Huntsman addition in your squad?” William asked.
Laurence followed his friend’s gaze and nodded. “Yes, still green. I was hoping I got third or fourth year students not the first.”
The Atlesian Captain frowned, “Don’t be like that, my friend, they are still young and need guidance from the experienced. Surely you’re the perfect man to do that job.”
“Not in the time like this.”
William opened his mouth but pursued his lips. He glanced at the outer side, “Do you think we will win?”
The Guardian blinked, turning his face at the Atlesian then at the Imperium. “No.” He answered.
William chuckled, “Always pessimist, I see.”
“I’m serious.”
William chuckled again.
/
It has been for five minutes since they went to the Wall and the Imperium stopped the bombardment and leave them with silence. A silence that hung in the air with tension that began to float in the air.
The automatic turrets rotated its six barrels on their side and spun to the outer side of the Walls. What once was used to kill Grimm now used to kill people, Ruby thought, this is all wrong, people shouldn't kill each other, the Grimm proved themselves are the biggest threat against Humanity and it's allies, the Faunus. Part of her wonder if the Imperium fought monsters like Grimm on space.
There was a voice that echoed from the trenches. The words was repeated throughout the trenches, Ruby could hear it clearly. Even though the distance between her are far, she was sure everyone on the Wall could hear it clearly.
"Fix bayonet! Affix bayonet, be ready for blood! Fix bayonet!"
Lieutenant Laurence heard the voice then barked an order, "Xiao Long, main the machine gun. The rest, take your positions."
They obeyed. Ruby quickly took position against sandbags and poked her head on her cover with her sniper rifle on her hand. Her teammates also took a positions beside her, Weiss was holding the Mystenaster and Blake gripped her Gambol Shroud tightly. Ruby knows that her teammates was tensed as her.
The Guardians are no different. Sergeant Kevin who are also at her side was clutching his rifle to his face. A sweat was visible trailing from his forehead to his neck.
Everyone was ready for the battle. And the battle was started with the sound of whistle.
/
Remnant, are a death world. Most of the lands and the sea are roamed by local predators called Grimm. These creatures were like Daemons he faced on the world before he and his regiment deployed here. These local predators are dangerous as they always attacked with numbers and various forms; from water to avian forms. Not to mention the inhabitants of this planet was psykers. Most of them are psykers.
It is a common thing that the Death Korps of Krieg always asked to the dangerous and deadly worlds against the enemies of man to redeemed themselves to the God-Emperor of Mankind.
The 220th Siege Army was tasked to siege the heretic's city named Vale. It was shame that the Siege Army was split into two in order to siege another city called Vacuo with a Cadian Regiment that was just arrived.
The order from the Commissar has been given and with swift and sync motion like the other Korpsman around him, 312942-288910-Hans attached the bayonet to his lasgun and pointing it to the battered gate where his foes lies.
The air has gone into silence as the Death Korps of Krieg waiting for the order from the Commissar, it was so silent that even Hans could hear the breathing noises from the Korpsman around. Tens thousands of lasguns were pointing at the same direction. They waited and waited until a whistle was blown.
At the signal that was given, The Death Korps of Krieg dashed from their trenches and advancing to the enemy fortifications. Without a second, the heavy stubbers on top of wall blared to live as the Korpsman below them starts to fall one by one. Not even a second the battle started, the casualties that the Imperium took were already high, but yet the Death Korps of Krieg seemed not slowing down from their deadly charge. Not even when man-sized ice and balls of fire appears out of nowhere and beset the soldiers below.
The casualties were already high but these were the price the Death Korps of Krieg willingly took. As if his legs were familiar to the ground around him, 312942-288910-Hans moved swiftly, stepping on the corpses of his brothers as he doing so.
312942-288910-Hans was familiar with all of this, in fact this campaign was his second campaign after a Hive World of Astrea that rebelled against the Imperium. Not to mention that he is the youngest member of his Squad.
The combined forces of 3rd Tank Company and 6th Mechanized Infantry Company was spearheading the charge towards the gate, their cannons let out thunderous roar to the heretics above the wall. Their bodies exploded, leaving nothing but gore and limbs flew on the air, few heretics get thrown and fell to the ground.
The 245th Siege Artillery Regiment fired their shells again. The heretic's Wall shook, cracked even when shells hits the wall. But that didn't even matched when a Leman Russ Demolisher from the 3rd Tank Company fired its cannon, upon impact the gate was destroyed.
But that single shot is not enough for the massive army to enter the city, the Leman Russ Demolisher fired again but it was not one, it was three Leman Russ Demolishers that fired their cannons. The Walls near the gate crumbled, destroyed into pieces when shells hit their targets.
Charging head long with his brothers, Hans passed the destroyed gate and was met with the rain of bullets and in a second, his brothers that leading the charge died before his place was taken by another. It was a terrible losses but Hans and his brothers around are willingly to do so as every Korpsman that die, a step closer has taken.
The heretics made barricades with sandbags filled with heavy stubbers and riflemen. Clad in dark green clothing like the Praetorian Guard he met on Astrea, while the other wear different uniforms, clad in grey armours that covered their bodies from head to toe.
Joint Forces maybe? But Hans quickly shoved the thought away. It doesn't matters who the enemies are, for those who reject His will only meet His wrath.
A Korpsman in front of him has taken a bullet on the head before take another bullet on the chest. There was an utter silence when the bullets hit his brother, there was no scream or a grunt. Only a silence. He was about to fall but Hans acted quickly, he hold the corpse of his brother before charging again with his meat shield.
It was heavy, no doubt that corpse he was using was from older Korpsman. Not to mention that Hans was smaller than his shield. But, looks like the luck was on his side for the soldiers has turned into panic state as the distance has grown thinner between them.
Using this moment, Hans throws his meat shield to his side and jumped, leaping forward as he doing so and pointing his bayonet that strapped on his lasgun to a soldier that are reloading the heavy stubber.
The soldier didn't enough time to react as a bayonet pierced his neck, killing him instantly. Hans twisted it before pulled his bayonet away and fired his lasgun to another soldier on the chest that also main the heavy stubber.
Soon enough, the Death Korps of Krieg that are following behind him collided against the barricades with bayonet, lasgun and entrenchment tool. Forcing the defenders into melee combat.
A soldier charged at him with a saber raised on the air. Using the advantage of his small body, Hans ducked under the flat swipe and thrust his rifle upwards to his opponent. The forty five centimeter bayonet pierced the jaw of his opponent to its brain.
It was full of chaos inside the city, with the thousands soldier of the Death Korps of Krieg that continuously pouring into the city and the defenders of the city that getting pushed and beaten by the sheer number and firepower the Death Korps has.
The sound of metal hitting metal, the scream of the dying men, and the gunshot traded with las fire, and so many sounds that Hans couldn't describe all of it entered his ears. But Hans was familiar with all of it, in fact he felt like he was in home. Such is the Krieg way, born and die for war.
A Leman Russ passed beside him, crushing any barricades, corpses and man that dared stand on its way. The battle cannon on top let out a roar like thunder, blowing dozens of green colored soldiers to the air in a shower of blood and limbs. The heavy bolter that placed on the front hull barked, blowing men's bodies into chunks of meat. And the heavy flamers that place on the side of its tracks spewing tongues of flames to the barricades around, burning the soldiers that are hiding behind them.
And soon, more of Leman Russ battle tanks will joined the battle.
Though, the Leman Russ appearance was cut short when a blur of pink smashed against it. The battle cannon on the turret bend in an impossible way and like a massive force that slammed against it, the entire tank turn upside down.
It was impossible for such thing happens but then, his eyes caught a sight of a woman jogging from the tank, it was then Hans realized who she is. The local psykers of this world called Huntsman.
Raising his lasgun, the Korpsman charged at her. The woman who noticed him, turned to face him. But it was too late for the woman to deflect his attack as Hans tackled her to the ground.
The bloodied bayonet was few inches away from her face making few blood droplets fell on her cheeks as she held her hands on the lasgun in defense. It was a contest of strength between them; the Death Korps that wanted to kill her and the Huntress that defended herself.
Her aqua eyes stared wide at the blade then at the lens hole on his gasmask. Hans doesn’t know what looks she give him, but guessed that she asks for mercy, but mercy was something that is forbidden on the Death Korps. Putting more pressure, the bayonet slowly closed its distance between it and the victim.
To his surprise, the woman has more strength on her as the bayonet pull itself away from her. But Hans will not allow that to happen, putting more strength on his hands, he pushed the lasgun more with the strength he had that he unconsciously let out a groan from his mouth.
Though his voice was muffled under the gasmask, his voice manages to loosen the iron grips the woman has on the lasgun. Her eyes widen as if she didn’t believe what was she just heard. Using this moment, Hans raised and drove the lasgun to her.
But it didn’t hit her.
Instead of the sound of the metal piercing flesh and dying voice of the woman, Hans was hit by something hard on his face. He was smacked and thrown to the air and landed few feet away. Face facing the ground.
Slowly pulled himself up, he met with a blond man that stood in front of the woman, holding his shield up on a stance with a sword raised on the side like the noble knight on ancient Terra.
‘Another psyker,’ Hans thought.
Hans lowered his gaze on the lasgun that laying near the man. The man who notices his gaze, looked down on the lasgun and moved to cover it. Part of him cursed at his incompetent for keeping his weapon close and within reach.
When the Korpsman fully stood, he was met with two additional Huntsman that stood beside the knight Huntsman. He quickly noted the round red shield and a short sword on the red haired woman that stood beside the knight. A man with long dark hair helped the woman that was his target and retrieved her weapon that laying on the ground near her.
It was a bad circumstance for the Korpsman, with no weapons and four armed psykers in front of him. But Hans has another weapon that hiding on his back. Reaching his back, Hans feel the familiar metal hilt on his hand before showed the four psykers what he held. It was a tool, but not just a simple tool. It was the best friend of every member of the Imperial Guard across the galaxy.
A shovel.
The four Huntsman shared a look when the Korpsman showed his shovel to them, as if the soldier in front of them can fight them with a shovel in his hand though, the red haired woman narrowed her eyes at him.
Hans dashed forward, shovel raised low as he delivered a blow upward to the group of Huntsman. His first target was the red haired woman. The woman raised her shield, blocking the shovel that was aimed to her head. Hans dodged a thrust from her to the side and dodged again as the blond psyker swiped his sword to him.
The Korpsman raised his shovel and brought it low to exposed area on the Huntsman’s back. Instead of the skin and flesh, the shovel hit by invisible shield around his body, it sparked yellow when his shovel connected to it making his hand staggered and recoiled. It was at this moment Hans remembered about something called Aura, an invisible shield that surround its user. Based on his experience on Mistral, it takes a single shot of lasgun to break it.
It might be fruitless attempt to kill them with a shovel but Hans know it was not fruitless to kill them with a shovel, let alone with bare hands. It did not matter with and how he kill them for he was a weapon, a tool, an ammunition for His holy wars. Already sinned since his birth, and willingly to do die to earn His forgiveness.
For Krieg
For the Emperor!
The blond Huntsman spun his body, and brought his sword to him. In response, Hans brought up his shovel to defense himself. Their eyes locked to one another.
The ground shook beneath his feet as explosion rang nearby and red lances flew over his head. Looking his back, a Leman Russ battle tank rolled its way to him followed by dozens of Korpsman.
Hans saw the horror on the psykers’ face when they saw more of his brothers advancing to his position. He kicked the blond Huntsman on the gut, breaking their stalemate and smacked the shovel across his face.
“Jaune!” The red haired woman cried.
Hans throws himself to the front, with a quick scan Hans spotted his lasgun lay near the red haired woman. Sliding pass through the flat swipe the woman delivered to him, Hans quickly retrieved his lasgun.
Hans fired his lasgun twice to the two psykers in front of him. His first shot went wide and the second shot, however, hit its target; the dark haired Huntsman. The red lance that came out from the lasgun break his Aura and hit his body. It didn’t kill him, only leave a burn mark on his clothes.
A set of fiery eyes gazed at him, and Hans quickly found its source; it was the orange haired woman that was he fought before her friends arrived. Her grips on her weapon tightened as she blurred into blinding speed like an Astartes. The woman appeared in front of him so fast that Hans can’t react to it. She raised and swung her hammer to the Korpsman so hard that even he slammed and pass through the building around.
His last vision was darkness.
/
Upon wake up, Hans was surrounded by rubles and debris. Looking around, he found his lasgun that lay near him. His bones cracked and Hans was fell to the ground when he tried to stood up with . His ribs were no doubt broken and one of his legs were not function.
Using his lasgun as a helping stick, the Korpsman gaze around his surrounding, there was no trace of battle near him with most of the building still intact or turn into ruins unlike the destroyed part he was from. No doubt that he was smashed to the other side of the city by that woman.
It was silent on the side of the city he currently on. Save the distant sound from the battle on the other side. Hans clutched his weapon firmly and moved, dragging his limb legs on the way. His eyes darted from building to building in case for a sudden movement.
Eventually he stopped on a fork road, he had to admit that he was lost. He tried to join the battle again by following the sound of the battle, but as he moved the sound slowly dimmed. Hans sighed through his mask that he need to go back to where he woke up.
A sudden sound alerted the Korpsman of human activity from his back. Hans turned his body was greeted by four Huntresses wearing red, white, yellow and black respectfully. Silently, Hans cursed at his situation, but if that is how the Emperor’s want him to die then so be it. He raised his lasgun to them and they raised their weapons to him.
They silently stared each other.
Through his lens, Hans judged on who he attacked first. But he noticed something, the red Huntress has silver eyes. There was an order from Inquisitor Frost to capture any person with silver eyes. An odd order, giving the reputation of the Death Korps of Krieg who always delivered death for those who faced them but who is he for questioning order? He was just a tool. He received and executed order not questioning it.
Taking a deep breath, Hans spoke, “By the order of Lord Inquisitor Frost, I demand you to surrender or face the Emperor’s wrath.”
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Edit 1: Just few minor changes nothing important
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-FZH048