The Adeptus Astartes. More commonly known as the Space Marines. Clad in armor two inches thick and genetically engineered with enhanced senses and extra organs. Standing three meters tall these warriors are fierce in battle and zealous in worship. Worship to their God Emperor. The mighty warriors are organised into armies known as Chapters of one thousand warriors each. The most ferocious and loyal of these chapters are the Ultra-marines. Their armor is that of the chapter’s name. Ultramarine blue. The second company of the Ultra-marines has a golden trim on the edges of their massive shoulder pads. These blue and gold warriors are the very image of death and reckoning to their enemies.

And They Shall Know No Fear

The mission was simple. Find and eliminate the runaway leader of the Eldar strike force. As it turned out, the damned space elves weren't even the problem on this world. At least not by the time Brother-Sergeant Malakai and his squad had landed. Squad Malakai consisted of ten of the mighty Space Marines. Ten Ultra-marines of the second company. The plan was simple. The Imperial Guard regiments had pushed the Eldar leader to the edge of the city gates. Squad Malakai’s drop pod was to land right behind the retreating Eldar, open its huge disembarkation ramps and the squad was to open fire. In one swift strike the Eldar and last few space elves would become chunks of flesh on the pavement. Instead, the drop pod’s ramps swung down to reveal the Ultramarine’s arch enemy. The Chaos Space Marines of the Word Bearer legion. The only distinguishing feature between the two kinds of marines being the Ultramarines highly maintained blue and gold armour, and the Word Bearers cracked dented and desecrated dull red and white trimmed armor. Apart from appearances, Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines are matched in every way. Malakai knew he was out numbered, so he screamed for his squad to charge through the Chaos formation and run into the city. Five marines were cut down as they made their charge and ram into the city.

The remaining five Space Marines in squad Malakai had been hunted down over the past six days, and now only Malakai himself remained. What was a Sergeant without a squad to lead he pondered as he fondled a bolter shell. Many of the Chaos Marines had fallen to his mighty bolt gun. There was always a very satisfying feeling when one of the explosive bolts blew open a heretic’s head. As each of his brother’s fell, he had taken their ammunition packs. But even with the large amount of ammunition he had gathered, he was dangerously low right now. And he knew his time was running out. Two and a half ammunition clips left, and he still had a legion of Chaos marines to avoid. Night had fallen again. Malakai had been hunting their leader for three days now, and finally he was within striking distance. He had no delusions that this was his last fight. He knew he would die. But he was an Ultramarine. And he knew no fear. He slipped the bolt shell into the ammunition clip and slipped the clip into his mighty bolt gun. He whispered a prayer to the Emperor. “Emperor give me strength, Emperor give me might, Emperor see me through to my own personal night”. This was his own prayer. He always liked the poetic sound of it, and now it was here. His personal night. His death. He stood to his full three meter height in the ruined building in which she spent his day. He donned his blue helm with red lenses and walked out of the building. The exhaust vents of his power pack breaking jagged round shapes in the door frame as he left. Steel ran through his veins as his blue armor frosted in the cold of the night.

He had been walking in the dark of night for two hours now. Quarter to twelve at night. In fifteen minutes he will have been on the planet for seven full days. Malakai froze as he heard the soft crunch of footsteps in the snow. He edged up against the closest wall. The crunching became a loud stomping by the time he reached the corner of the building block. He knew this was the monster he was searching for. The leader of these heretics and chaos marines was just around the corner. He peered around the edge and he froze as he realized his folly. This Chaos Space Marine was not only clad in the armor of his legion, but his armor was that of the Terminator class of Space Marines. Increasing the already bulky build of a three metre tall marine to a five metre tall, tomb sized hulk encased in armor. The huge warrior’s left hand was encased in gauntlet the size of a lion, donned with claws just as sharp. The warrior held in its right hand a storm bolter, a bolt gun with two barrels that can fire at twice the rate of the bolt gun that Malakai held. Malakai stepped out in front of the mighty warrior that loomed over him. At least his chaotic opponent was honouring his silent challenge of a duel.

“Ultramarine……” rasped the hulking Chaos Space Marine.

“… Drop your gun and draw your blade.” Malakai dropped his bolt gun, as did the warrior who would end him. He drew his chain sword, as he did so, he saw lightning run between the claws of the traitor marine. The air was cold, and the silence boiled.

“Die well, Ultramarine….” the Chaos marine muttered. The hulking marine lunged with surprising agility. Malakai threw up his blade in defense, and it was caught in between the second and third claw of the mighty fist. He pushed with all the might he could muster. The full weight of the opponent was upon him, he lost his footing as his chain sword snapped out of shear stress. On his front he lay. Out of his peripheral he saw the claws of his enemy, and he was rolled onto his back. Malakai removed his helm. He stared as the claws of the gauntlet on the chaos marine’s fist drove through his chest. He didn't feel it. But he could see the dark.

He Marched for Macragge. And He Knows No Fear.