Chapter 29: Samus is Here
Kor Phaeron's broken spine was growing rapidly, twisting and spreading. His plate-like ribs cracked and expanded like an eagle's wings. His internal organs morphed into indescribable shapes, fusing with his bones.
His mass increased at an alarming rate, drawing power from the High Heavens, where the laws of physics were distorted, and the Warp seeped into the material world through souls and death.
Ventanus and his men retreated quickly, realizing their mistake. The Word Bearer's surrender had been a trap.
He had come here to die, and his death was the final catalyst for something far more terrifying. Their impulsiveness had allowed the enemy's plan to succeed.
Kor Phaeron's death completed the ritual. His flesh and blood became the sacrifice, ushering a being from the highest heavens into reality.
Something took root in his corpse and began reshaping itself.
A monster crawled out from the remains of the Word Bearer. Flesh and blood proliferated and mutated, fine scales and a thick mane covering its grotesque body. A massive new head emerged, with several-meter-long horns embedded in its forehead—resembling the bull-horned demons of ancient myths.
A laugh, as loud as roaring artillery, echoed through the sky. A swarm of buzzing flies and insects descended like a green sandstorm, their eerie voices chanting in unison—
"Samus. Samus is coming!"
The warriors who had witnessed Kor Phaeron's transformation were powerless to stop it. The corrupting force of the High Heavens distorted time itself—what felt like minutes could have been mere moments.
Bucky's heart pounded. He could hear the blood rushing in his veins, but his ears were filled with an unnatural screeching, drowning out all other sounds.
Only a single name remained in his mind—
Samus.
A demon—far more terrifying than any they had encountered before.
The moment Bucky laid eyes on it, he understood its true nature. This was a projection of a monstrous being from the Warp, manifesting in reality. Perhaps this creature could be called a Greater Daemon.
Even a battle-hardened veteran like Ventanus felt his limbs stiffen. Some unseen force pressed against their minds, sowing fear and hesitation.
The daemon's grotesque claws swung wildly, striking down the four Ultramarines who had been guarding Kor Phaeron's corpse. One warrior, bearing the brunt of the impact, was torn apart along with his armor. His blood splattered across the battlefield, snapping the others out of their stupor.
A storm of firepower erupted. Bolters, lasguns, plasma shots, and micro-missiles rained upon the daemon like a relentless downpour. But at the moment of impact, a strange psychic field dampened the attacks. Samus seemed unscathed, roaring as it charged forward.
Its intent was clear.
"It wants to take this mortal! Take him away!"
Ventanus instantly grasped the daemon's objective. It was heading straight for Bucky. Its gait resembled that of a bat stumbling on land—comical, yet unnervingly fast.
Even the enhanced vision of a Space Marine struggled to track its movements.
"Samus means the end and death. Samus has surrounded you. Samus will grind your bones to dust. Be careful! Samus is coming!"
A wave of malice crashed into Bucky's mind. His vision blurred, and he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness—until an Ultramarine scooped him up and carried him to the rear.
Ventanus and Saurus charged the daemon, their power swords crackling with energy as they sprinted forward. In an instant, their blades found their mark, slicing deep into the daemon's flesh.
Samus finally acknowledged the warriors attacking it. Compared to its colossal form, they were insignificant—like fragile children standing before a giant.
With a single motion, it toppled the walls of the World Museum. Its sheer physical strength was enough to shatter the reinforced structures. A single wing strike sent Saurus flying, his armor cracking upon impact with the ground.
The mortal auxiliary forces had brought out their heavy firepower. A Shadow Blade Tank crushed the rubble beneath its treads as it rolled forward, knocking down what remained of the entrance. Its massive volcano cannon began charging.
The hum of accumulating energy grew louder. Then, in an instant, the cannon discharged, sending a blazing beam of destruction directly at Samus's head.
But the beam failed to penetrate.
For the first time, Samus let out a pained roar. Black smoke drifted from its burned flesh. The volcanic cannon had inflicted real damage.
This weapon could destroy a super-heavy tank—yet the daemon still stood.
Roaring in fury, Samus turned its attention to the Shadow Blade. Like an unstoppable force of nature, it plowed through debris and headed straight for the massive tank.
The Shadow Blade's crew scrambled to recharge the cannon. But its notoriously slow firing rate had become its fatal weakness.
Samus reached it.
With an unnatural strength beyond comprehension, the daemon grasped the tank's side armor, its claws slicing through the reinforced plating like paper.
Theoretically, no living creature could lift a 300-ton super-heavy tank with its bare hands.
And yet, it happened.
Samus hoisted the Shadow Blade off the ground. The tank's treads spun uselessly in the air as its reactor struggled to compensate. Desperate, the crew aimed the cannon for a point-blank shot.
But Samus anticipated their move.
With a single, devastating swipe, its claws crushed the barrel of the volcano cannon, snapping the transmission shafts and internal mechanisms. The Shadow Blade's main weapon was now useless.
Ventanus was already in motion.
Leaping onto the ruins of a toppled building, he climbed higher and higher—until he was level with the daemon's head. Then, with one final leap, he launched himself toward the monster.
Its grotesque, scaly neck loomed before him.
Ventanus had only one weapon left—the ritual dagger taken from Kor Phaeron.
Without hesitation, he plunged the dagger into Samus's body with all his strength.
The obsidian blade seemed tiny, insignificant.
Yet, Samus's roar turned into a wail.
The dagger inflicted unbearable damage.
Its flesh began dissolving. The dagger shouldn't have been this powerful, but it was.
Ventanus held onto the blade, letting gravity pull him downward, slicing through the daemon's body from head to abdomen.
Samus collapsed.
The dying daemon locked eyes with Ventanus and Bucky, its monstrous form already melting away. Like an iceberg under a burning sun, it vanished—leaving only fragments of its existence behind.
Rain poured from the heavens.
Ventanus, drenched in blood and ichor, stood like a mythic warrior who had slain a monster of legend.
"I think we need these witchcraft weapons," Bucky said, stepping beside him. "They're very effective against daemons."
"This is just a stopgap," Ventanus replied, staring at the dagger still pulsing with dark energy in his hand. "They contain dangerous power."
"For now, we need to reunite with Macragge's Glory. The orbital platform's weapons array must be recaptured."
Ventanus led the surviving Ultramarines back toward the Apollo Museum. The Word Bearers in the area no longer had the strength to launch a large-scale attack.
It was time to rejoin the Legion.
"Leave the rest to me," Bucky said.
Hundreds of Ultramarines stood in formation outside the Universal Museum, ready for battle. The mortal auxiliaries remained behind—space combat wasn't their fight.
Bucky activated his communicator. The Red Alert starship responded from orbit, activating its teleportation beam.
A flash of light enveloped the warriors—
And they were gone.
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