The Duel of Matyrs

Zagreus stood at the precipice of the Bridge of Martyrs, a massive structure of ancient stone and iron that spanned the abyss between two jagged mountain peaks. The winds howled far below, whipping through the chasm with the cold bite of a world long lost to darkness. But Zagreus paid it no mind. His mission was clear: infiltrate the Arbites listening post at the bridge's summit and claim the intelligence stored within. Vakhtor had deemed the information crucila to his plans so the Dark Eye would retreive it for him. Failure was not an option.
The the post was abondoned, either from the anomoly or the retreat Zagreus was not sure. But he knew others would come for the data. Six other legionaries moved in the darkenss nearby. Their status a line of runes within his helm that twisted and flickered with an evil light. He rested a gauntleted hand upon the hilt of his daemonic sword, Varkor, an ancient relic bound with the soul of a daemon. Its blade pulsed with a malevolent hunger. The weapon whispered to him, promising power and victory in exchange for blood. Zagreus had fed Varkor countless souls, and each time the sword's thirst grew more insatiable. Not for the first time he wondered what would happen if the daemon within ever broke free. Would it look upon him favorably as the one who had fed it for all these centuries, or in anger for keeping it incarcerated all this time?
Advance," Zagreus commanded, his voice a low growl over the vox. His squad moved with disciplined precision, their black and gold armour stark against the shadows of the bridge's structure. They were the Black Legion, warriors of the Warmaster, sworn to spread the truth of Chaos and bring the Imperium to its knees. Stealth and subterfuge was not in their nature. That was better left to the scions of the Hydra.
As they neared the listening post, Zagreus signaled for them to halt. His enhanced senses detected movement-subtle, almost imperceptible to those less attuned. But to Zagreus, it was clear as day.
"Kroot," he hissed, his hand tightening on Varkor's hilt. He had dealt with the xenos savages before, either in the employ of the idealistic T'au or as common mercenaries for the highest bidder.
"Form up," he ordered. His squad responded immediately, spreading out into a defensive formation. Daryn, the heavy gunner, took position near a ledge overlooking the approach, his Reaper Chaincannon scanning the horizon. Beside him, Sorius the Butcher, the squad's close-combat specialist, activated his chainaxe, the weapon's teeth spinning with a hungry whirr.
Zagreus drew Varkor from its sheath, the blade glowing with an eerie crimson light, The air around him seemed to tremble as the daemon within the sword sensed the impending battle. The whispers grew louder, urging him to strike, to feed its insatiable hunger.
The Kroot moved like shadows, emerging from the darkness with an uncanny silence and the ambush was well executed. They leapt from cover from all directions, falling upon the Legionaries with fierce warcries. Their avian forms blending with the surroundings, their movements almost impossible to track. But the Black Legionaries were no strangers to such tactics. They responded with disciplined fire, bolters roaring as they cut down the first wave of attackers.
Thier leader, Zagreus recognised the tribal totems that marked the creature as one of their Shapers, led the charge. Twin blades flashed in the dim light as the band of farstalkers launched themselves into the melee. The Kroot shaper was a formidable opponent, his every move precise and deadly. He struck at Zagreus with the speed of a viper, his blades aimed at the weak points in the power armor.
Zagreus parried with Varkor, the daemon sword deflecting the blows with unnatural ease. Sparks flew as the weapons clashed. the kroot was fast, but Zagreus's post human physiology was stronger. He pushed forward, forcing the Kroot leader back with a series of brutal strikes Meanwhile, the rest of the Dark Eye engaged the Farstalkers. Sorius decapitated one with a single swing of his chainaxe, roaring with savage laughter as he did so. Another fell to the precise shots of Tirian as he emptied a magazine from his bolter at near point blank range. Daryn unleashed a hail of heavy fire from his Reaper Chaincannon, the weapon's rotating barrels spitting death as rounds tore through the ranks of the Kroot, forcing them to dive for cover from the onslaught. But one of the Farstalkers, a particularly agile Kroot with a barbed spear, managed to evade Daryn's fire. With a swift leap, it tackled the heavy gunner from behind. Daryn stumbled, losing his footing and crashing over the edge. He grabbed for a support beam, in a bid to stop himself falling into the abyss. The ironwork shrieked in protest as it bore his weight, leaving the Legionary dangling precariously above the abyss as his attacker prepared to finish him off.
Sorius was there in an instant, his chainaxe cleaving through the Kroot's midsection. The xenos warrior fell, lifeless, into the void below and Sorius reached down and hauled Daryn back up, the heavy gunner groaning as he clambered onto solid ground.
Zagreus and the Shaper continued their duel, neither giving an inch. The Shaper's speed and precision were undeniable, and in a sudden, calculated strike, it managed to disarm Zagreus. Varkor clattering to the stone floor and Zagreus stared at it in disbeleif. The blade's whispers grew frantic as it lay out of reach, its hunger unsated. The Shaper seized the advantage, his blades slicing toward Zagreus' exposed neck. But Zagreus was far from defenseless. With a snarl, he drew his bolt pistol and fired a single round point-blank into Krelk's chest. The explosive bolt punched through the Kroot's armor, sending him staggering backward, blood spraying from the wound but the shell did not detonate. Before Zagreus could finish the kill a blast from a Kroot Heavy weapon slammed into him, knocking him sideways.
Realising the battle was lost the Shaper let out a sharp whistle, and the remaining Kroot retreated, vanishing into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared.
'Do we pursue?" Sorius asked, eager for more bloodshed.
Zagreus shook his head, holstering his blot pistol and retrieving Varkor. The blade hummed with satisfaction and frustration as he grasped it, the daemon within appeased by the violence but angry at not being fed. "No. The data is our mission, not these xenos scum. Let them run." The Black Legion regrouped, Daryn nursing a few bruises but otherwise unharmed They entered the listening post, securing the intelligence they had come for. Zagreus allowed himself a moment of satisfaction as he uploaded the data to the waiting ship in orbit.
As they prepared to extract, Zagreus cast one last look at the direction in which the Farstalkers had fled. The Kroot had fought well. Despite his orders to Sorius he longed to give chase. He shook his head. They had their mission and soon the information would be in the hands of their Vakhtor.
With a silent command, Zagreus led his squad away from the Bridge of Martyrs. leaving the battlefield behind. The shadows reclaimed the bridge as the Black Legion departed.