Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-33521582-20180324203957/@comment-33521582-20180330134658

Swating aside two of the remaining clawed deformities before him, Othmar raises the bolt pistol, pauses, and fires of a shot that lodges in the large thing's throat. It let's out a blood curling howl, then the bolt round detonates, forcing the head back, chitinous carapace grating against itself.

Drew's chainsword makes short work of the few enemies left skulking in the dark, the Black Dragon leaping after them among the midnight shadows of the cave, smashing his armored bulk into them.

Alexus leaps into the cave, armoured legs pistoning and setting off sparks as he lunges into cover.

With a burst of speed, Zhevordus charges forward. Launching himself into a forward roll, he grabs the satchel by its strap and flings it into the cavern as he comes back to his feet. The leather parcel ricochets against one of the many pillars and rebounds into the huge drill, left unattended. The detonation shakes the cave, illuminating it once more like day, the concussion felt even through your power armour, and opens a massive breach in the vehicles armour.

Sergeant Invexus whirls at the sound of Othmar's bolt shell exploding, and throws up his Stormshield in time to block the torrent of maggots from the monstrosities gullet. Taking the opening created by the shot, he rises suddenly to his feet, bringing his Thunder hammer up in a swing with his whole body behind it that sends the creature into a pillar, splattering against the rock.

Two of the remaining kill-team Marines swiftly vault over, and begin putting shots into the things mangled features, before advancing through the cave, confirming the kills on the other hostiles.

The kill-team's apothecary makes his way to the drill, and Rine's remains.

The drills engine dies, the last bolt shell clinks forlornly on the bare rock, absolute silence reigns in the cave. All of you have stopped breathing, and a chill runs up your spines as you look to your fallen brother. Sound comes back as the apothecary plunges his Reductor into the fallen Astarte's ruined chest.

"May the Emperor bless and protect this sacred legacy", begins Sergeant Invexus, standing near them, "so that the strength of this brave warrior may live on in Astartes yet unborn, for the abiding honour of the seat of Humanity, Holy Terra, in the name of the Imperium and the Emperor, to whom we owe all."

You all bow your heads as he speaks and, when the apothecary's task is done, he gathers all of you all by the north eastern exit, where the vehicles erupted from.

"Mourn later," Sergeant Invexus says, "now we hunt. Brother Othmar, Brother Ferran, we take point. The rest, as before."

The kill-team stalks forward, the recent fight fresh in everyone's minds. The mountains of gore, the inhuman screams, the sound of explosions all stay with you as you advance. The tunnel is short, and leads to a twenty meter by twenty meter squarish excavation in the stone. Benches and tools scattered about, as well as treadmarks in the dust, mark it as some kind of motor-pool for the creature's vehicles. A tunnel leads south, and a quick foray confirms that it corresponds to the second northern tunne in the first chamber. A further tunnel leads east, and you make your way down it, weapons at the ready.

As the kill-team approaches the tunnel mouth, Zhevordus' hearing picks up something. It is so alien that he doesn't understand it at first, something vast. The noise takes form in his mind. There is an ovaloid chamber ahead, roughly fifty meters on the long axis, and thirty on the short. He wouldn't normaly be able to tell, but it's as if the whole thing is occupied by some thing's *breathing*.