"A considerable number, but they crumble easily."
Ignis rejoined his companions, assessing the fallen Ethereals.
"Incredible… Even the Defense Force's Typhon-class Autonomous Tactical Units couldn't match that level of combat efficiency," Anby murmured, staring at the dissipating corpses in a daze.
"Even the Starlight Knight couldn't take down that many hostiles that quickly," Billy added, lowering his revolver—he hadn't even gotten the chance to fire a shot.
"The enemies I've faced were far worse than these things," Ignis replied calmly.
Though the Salamanders' 6th Company—the Flamehammers—was a reserve formation rarely sent to the front lines, he had supported the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th battle companies in combat operations.
He had once burned swarms of Tyranid beasts to ash with gouts of promethium, smashed plague-ridden Nurgle Spawns with his power fists, and fought alongside mortal Guardsmen to cleanse Hive Cities of heretics.
None of those foes were as weak—or as pitiful—as these Ethereals.
"All right, Super Soldier," Billy said, slapping Ignis's armored abdomen. "We should find a place to hide before more of them show up."
"There's another platform up ahead," Anby pointed. "We can take shelter there."
"Good. Proceed to the objective."
Billy raised his arm heroically, pointing forward. Then he turned to Ignis. "Just… try not to destroy it this time."
"I'll do my best to restrain myself," the Salamander nodded.
Though the distance wasn't far, Ignis's earlier battle had drawn more Ethereals closer. Shadows now lurked along their path.
Fortunately, the derailed subway cars offered cover. They'd just need to clear a few more enemies to pass through.
The metal giant moved carefully, lowering his steps as much as his massive weight allowed. Even so, the heavy thud of ceramite on steel echoed in the tunnels. Soon enough, a small pack of Ethereals surged out from between the cars.
"We'd better break through quickly, then deal with the ones chasing us before they catch up," Ignis said, before charging ahead.
The confined space between train cars gave the Ethereals nowhere to dodge. Ignis smashed through them again, his lightning-wreathed power fists flashing—each swing reducing an enemy to fragments.
"Above you!" Billy shouted, followed by several sharp gunshots. Bullets whizzed past Ignis's armor and tore through the limbs of the creatures dropping from the rooftops.
Even dismembered, the monsters dragged themselves forward, crawling toward Ignis without pause.
"Focus on advancing. Leave the stragglers to me," Anby ordered, unsheathing her blade.
Her black-iron sword gleamed as it sliced cleanly through an Ethereal's torso.
Watching Anby's precise, fluid strikes and quick evasions, Ignis trusted her to hold the flank and pushed onward.
The massive Astartes was a moving fortress—none could pass him. Each swing of his energized fists drew an arc of light, leaving only dust and ichor behind.
Behind him rang the bark of gunfire and Anby's sharp commands. The two worked seamlessly—Anby cutting down the ones dropping from above while Billy's bullets finished off any that got too close.
The Son of Vulkan spared them a glance. Their coordination was admirable—efficient, disciplined. Satisfied, he turned his focus forward.
"Damn it!" Billy shouted, swapping out his spent cylinders. "I'm almost out of ammo! This is never-ending!"
"Hold on. We're close," Ignis growled, smashing through another Ethereal. The platform was just around the corner—only a few foes blocked the way.
"Switch with me. I'll cover the rear."
The towering warrior pivoted. Anby immediately stepped in to take point while Billy dashed past him.
More Ethereals flooded in behind them, chasing along their entry path.
They couldn't let the swarm reach Anby and Billy. Even if Ignis could slay them all, he couldn't guarantee his companions' safety.
The Salamanders of Nocturne, disciples of the Promethean Cult and Sons of Vulkan, held sacred the duty to protect the innocent.
And Ignis—before the gene-seed, before the armor—had once been a civil safety officer, a man who swore to safeguard workers' lives.
His first death had come while evacuating miners from a collapsing underground site.
He had once been powerless. But now, with this reforged body and this divine armor, he would never again allow an innocent to bleed before him.
He still had four fragmentation grenades left in his Fragstorm Grenade Launcher—two already spent aboard his strike cruiser.
Through his HUD, he marked the densest cluster of enemies and fired. Two sharp thuds later, explosions rocked the tunnel. Fire and shrapnel tore through the horde, annihilating dozens. Only a few stragglers remained.
They had to block the passage—if more came, they'd be overwhelmed.
The Salamander glanced at a derailed train car beside him. A plan formed instantly.
He smashed the coupler locks with his power fist's disintegration field and began to drag the entire car sideways.
The muscle fiber coils beneath his armor flexed, augmented by Gravis-pattern servo-musculature and the surging power of his reactor pack.
With the shriek of tearing metal and a rain of sparks, he heaved the car onto its side, sealing the passage completely.
By the time he turned around, Anby and Billy had finished the last of the Ethereals.
Billy, ever the showman, planted a foot on a corpse and struck a heroic pose, revolver pointed down.
"No hard feelings, monster," he intoned dramatically. "You and I—we're destined to be enemies."
Clearly quoting from some old tokusatsu series.
"I'll aim for the weak spot. It won't hurt," he added coolly, pulling the trigger.
Click.
No shot.
"...Huh?" Billy froze, fumbling with his weapon. "Crap! Forgot to reload!"
The Ethereal underfoot immediately lunged, throwing him off balance and pinning him beneath it.
"Wait, wait! Time-out! TIME-OUT!" he yelled frantically as the creature's blade-arm descended toward his head.
Anby darted forward, blade raised—but Ignis was faster. The giant surged in, seizing the Ethereal in his massive hand.
A single squeeze—and the monster shattered into fragments.
"Next time you pose," Ignis rumbled, tossing the remains aside, "make sure your Knight Kick is ready first."
He offered the Iron Man a hand up.
"Too close… way too close…" Billy gasped, thumping his chest, metal ringing loudly.
Did this robot actually have a heart to make that sound? Ignis wondered.
"Wait—you said Knight Kick," Billy blurted out suddenly. "Your era had Starlight Knights too?"
"I've heard comrades mention them," Ignis replied. "But in my time, I don't think there were any Starlight Knights. Perhaps… a different kind of knight."
"Gentlemen, focus," Anby cut in sharply. "There's someone on the platform."
Someone else?
Ignis stepped forward. Through the shadows, he saw a figure standing amid the wreckage—indistinct, but human-shaped.
Switching to Fire-Sight, he saw it clearly: a man—or something close to one—locked in battle with several Ethereals.
His left arm bore a crystalline shield of gray and black, nearly as tall as himself, while from his right palm jutted a sharp, green spike.
He smashed one Tyrfing to the ground with his shield, then impaled it with the spike, pinning it in place.
"It's Silver!" Anby exclaimed, recognizing the man instantly.
"Friend of yours?" Ignis asked.
"He's the one who got us into this Hollow," Billy said grimly, reloading. "And look—there's the safe we've been after!"
Only then did Ignis notice the small metal case at Silver's feet.
"Finally…" Anby started forward, but Billy grabbed her wrist. "Wait—something's off about him."
Their voices caught Silver's attention. He turned toward them, confusion flickering across his face—first at the towering Salamander, then at Anby and Billy.
"I… must… destroy… aaghhh…"
His voice was low, bestial—warped by agony, as if every word burned his throat.
"Just as I thought," Billy said grimly, cocking his revolver. "He's been consumed by Ether corruption. The guy's got no Ether Aptitude."
"Ahhh… destroy… can't… take… from… me—!!"
His left eye twisted open into a miniature black hole, devouring part of his skull.
"Ahhhhhhhh—!" The scream became inhuman as more crystals burst from his flesh, spreading across his entire body.
"He's still fighting it!" Anby shouted, drawing her sword.
"It's too late! Ether crystallization's about to be complete—he's—" Billy's warning was cut off by another howl.
"Save… me… DESTROY… AAAARGH—!"
The man's words dissolved into an animalistic roar as the black hole expanded, consuming his head entirely.
"The Core—it's forming!" Billy shouted. "Damn it! He's fully transforming into an Ethereal!"
A thunderous explosion followed. The blast wave forced Anby and Billy to shield their faces, while Ignis stepped forward, his armor absorbing the impact.
Through his Fire-Sight, Ignis saw the man's body radiating immense heat—Ether crystals erupting from within, reshaping him into a monstrosity.
The sight struck a familiar, dreadful chord.
He had seen such corruption before—a man's body twisted, reborn as a daemon of the Warp.
This terrifying scene involuntarily reminded him of a certain pink and purple monster, a Chaos Spawn transformed from a heretic.