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[Keiya]

Soil shifted beneath hefty sole as the wind gathered up the dust that rose upon it's disturbance. Lenses flared, traces calculating and taking note of wind direction and speed. Soon, footfall escalated into parade. Parade into march. March into stampede. In between the charted destination and the post, a stream of pairs in shredded and striped armor carried it's weight onwards forward without hindrance. The force of twenty strong carried themselves forward in unified sprint.

Keiya could feel the ground shaking beneath his feet. The enemy would know of their approach. Perfect. He shifted his eyes and took note of his brothers : Templars all of one mind. Sensing the unification between them, the image of the first sign of their enemy flicked through his vision. He winced in recognition and appreciation of the information provided by his brother. The wave began to shift and rumble as the sound of gunfire cracked through the air. The entire force broke apart at once, not a single body struck by incoming fire, and broke into pairs. 10 pairs of two spread out as if they were of a single mind, a single control mechanism guiding them. This was not the fact - they simply knew themselves that well.

The crackling of air sounded in Keiya's helmet as a stray plasma bolt sped overhead. He turned and slammed his shoulder into the base of a large grave-marker. The grave-world provided great cover and advantage, especially for his chapter. Lazlya stood across from him, bolter in hand and visor directed skyward. He was counting. Keiya simply stood, pulled a flash grenade from his side, and tossed it with pinpoint accuracy. He need not wait - simply to turn and brace himself as a hail of gunfire rained down on his position. Bits and chunks of decorative material from the marker spatted against his armor.

Lazlya looked down, heaved his chest, and sprinted from cover. As soon as he rounded, the flash grenade detonated and flooded the area with immense light in the dark of the night. Keiya turned and slid from cover to follow his battle-link. Bolter lowered to his side and both combat knives came to bear. Side by Side, Keiya and Lazlya slammed into the pathetic barricade of the heretic forces and erupted through them like a pair of enraged feral animals. Four blades flicked about at surprising speed, traced by the trails of blood that they left behind. Cries and grunts filled the air as they put down their targets. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Keiya stopped counting.

As the effects of the flash wore off seconds later, the optics of their visors began to allow fresh light to filter through as it made adjustments to see in the dark of night again. The two Templars stood, soaked in blood but lacking scars to wear upon their armor like badges of honor. Keiya turned to face Lazlya and brought his hand before his chest, tapping the center of his solar plexus with his index finger; The 'Calm and Collected' signal amongst his chapter. As he did this, another image flicked through his vision - A gift from Lazlya. Keiya shifted to the right as the incoming projectile streaked past, missing by mere millimeters. Lazlya's bolter raised and fired off a short burst that roared past Keiyas' head, each bolt finding it's mark in the chest, throat, and head of the heretic rifleman. Keiya took a few steps forward and then finally past Lazlya. His Battle-Link turned to face the crest of the hill which was ablaze in flame and singing a chorus of gunfire. The two stood curious for a moment before the signal for 'reinforcements' washed their vision. Confused, the two were about to take off in the direction of the signal when it happened.

The cry was unquestionable. It turned their stomachs as they sensed the disorientation and disbelief in their brothers. There was no fear, only uneasiness - something those of his Chapter didn't feel. That was until now - The cry of the Tyranid Warrior would forever be burned into their minds, as would the ensuing battle. The frantic rattle of gunfire. The loss of life. The disobeying of orders to fall back. Man upon man was slaughtered and devoured. Their tactics, will, fortitude, and determination was for naught.

Nineteen brothers fell that day. Nineteen that he couldn't save. Nineteen that he would forever harbor as a weight upon his soul. He would be told that the Emperor would carry their spirits swiftly to rest within the great memories - it changed nothing. Beaten, bloody, and slipping into the opening arms of the rage, Keiya was drug from the battlefield and saved by the sacrifice of his battle-link. A life was given at the cost of a life.

"This is our war, Brother." His hand clung to his brothers' damaged shoulder.
"This is no longer yours. Carry our pride home. Save us in memory."
It burned. "You would have me wrestle the shame? "
" I would have you survive. Harbor my Ghost. "

Lazlya fell forward upon Keiyas' body as the transport lifted from the ground, the wave of Tyranid they had held at bay for what seemed to be an eternity moved in and crashed upon one another as if a ripple in water after the fall of a stone into it's surface. Keiya closed his eyes as his link broke with the fallen marine - He was gone. He had given his last bit to pull him from the claws of the rage. What a shame. A shame he would bare forever. As darkness enclosed around him, Keiya allowed his mind to slip back to the planet now overrun and decimated by the unstoppable wave. Their effort was for nothing. Lives lost for a cause that would have been carried out regardless. For an instant he questioned it, but that was quickly swept away at the weight of his brothers' body upon his shoulder.

" We are Together. We fall together. "