[color=6ecff6]The orchestra of gunfire and screams was growing louder and with it the rhythmic collisions of the ship by bullets and shrapnel became ever more frequent. Epicurus had always enjoyed battle there were patterns in it like anything else and order among chaos laws among the lawless exchange. As he peered out the window to see distant bodies running and falling among buildings painted red with blood he knew soon he would be among the ruined and dying. As they grew closer the noise grew louder and finally a lone heretic missile launched into the air hurling with vicious velocity towards the Valkyrie. The piece reached its crescendo as the missile collided with the Valkyrie producing e symphony of death and destruction. In an instant men were torn or blown apart others cried and clung together. One man most interestingly to Epicurus in desperation to avoid what ever may come next took his own life leaving a vacant wounded husk behind. He thought it well of the man if he was that weak to do them all the favor of wasting no more time or endangering those who were capable. He respected that the man did not beg nor plead he acted in what he felt was best and in these times that was the most one could hope for. Epicurus whispered last rites for the man before turning his attentions to his own life.

As the pilot reassured them Epicurus was already certain the ship would crash and so quickly he began to assess those around him who still were breathing. In an instant he saw it to his left a man had his leg crushed by a section of framing from the ship. It was cut deep and the bottom portion crushed among the blood bone and muscle could be seen torn and fractured beyond any easy repair. Epicurus looked to the man next to him and leaned in as best he could struggling against the ships death throws.

"Forgive me brother your sacrifice will save the many." There was a hint of compassion as Epicurus spoke yet the man looked none the less terrified by the statement.

The sound of a man gurgling on blood came next and with little time at all the look of terror had vanished from his eyes replaced by a glassy vacant expression. Epicurus had slit his throat and then cut the strap that held the man to the seat with his mall knife. Already covered entirely from waist up in blood he caught the mans body and placed it atop himself using it as a shield for when the Valkyrie inevitably collided with the ground. He did not care if others saw what he did in his mind it was justified what was he to do let the man live waste time recovering from the crash treating a man who would simply endanger the unit. No he would ensure all who were at their best fit to serve could do so unencumbered by those who would die anyways. Them the final note came with a crash and Epicurus found himself drifting into the abyss.

He could not tell how much time had passed, but he smelled fire and blood opening his eyes he was relieved the body had been litered with shrapnel and metal defending him from everything, but bruises from the momentum of the whole ordeal. He tossed the body off and stood from his seat to see who among them survived. He heard cries of the dying and saw the man who had prayed and hoped over a locket still there eyes toward the sky. He said a few blessings and walked through the carnage towards the man who had called himself Jack and followed him to Winstanely. As he did so there were flashes of how the medic had behaved and all he could think was at the very least he would endure, but his eyes would be vigilantly upon him he seemed ripe to turn madness had already taken him.[/color]

[color=92278f]Viber had stood in the same place silent and rooted like a great oak his hand firmly holding onto the rails along the side of the ship for stability. He watched the battlefield scouring it seeing who had the edge in what districts hoping the birds eye would give him an edge for planning the units movements. The sights that once filled him with such excitement for battle had soured and become distressing and symbolic of the encroaching doom he felt awaited all who served in this life. Perhaps it was because in those days he fought green skins and true distinguishable enemies, but now for some time he fought other men former citizens sometimes even on planets he once visited in peaceful times. As he watched his eyes caught it a heretic missile hurling towards the side of the Valkyrie he was on. The harbinger of vengeance ripped the whole side asunder and took men with it. Vibers eyes had been obscured by smoke and a shower of blood yet he held on and somehow remained in place. He cleared his eyes wiping away blood and peered past the smoke. He could their expeditious descent toward the ground from the gaping hole that was once a metal barrier from the world bellow.

"Men and women of the Imperium in this hour you must find your resolve and your courage. You must find the will because we cannot give it to you. We who do will survive we will avenge those who fall and litter the streets with blood and bodies for our comrades. For honor and glory!" Viber screamed an obvious blood lust in his voice as it seemed the fire was for now reignited.

After his words he heard the typical screams and cries and even witnessed one man take his life. He looked about the ship and though all concerned him most it was Mikail who he was interested in. He had admiration perhaps even in his old age envy for the mans ability to take it all in such stride to accept what happened around. Yet he also knew and had seen men who like that medic on a dime could turn and change snapping into strange and paranoid creatures or violent madmen. They were not on the precipice of breaking they had already broken.

The ground met and went to blows with the ship winning its struggle as the ship gave and the ground hardly cratered. His legs buckled and his shoulders cracked as he held himself in place old and weary bones fighting against the torrent of blows. Yet there he stood at the end of it all crouched and in pain yet he stood for all to see in the same place he had been at the beginning. The Black Saint was once again at battle and by the grace of whatever may be he survived to fight on.[/color]

Cannis had sat in place maintaining his dutiful attention to his weapons. As the heretic missile hit the Valkyrie the detonation created a storm within the vessel. Men were torn apart shrapnel made from the ship and missile began to pelt and rip into and through the men among. He saw those who had stood thrown into the ceiling a few heads cracked or smashed dead in an instant from one titanic blow. He was firmly fastened in and he watched the chaos that surrounded trying to make sure his weapons were not thrown about or damaged. He looked to the man to his right to make sure he was still with him and it was as he did the gunshot rang out. Blood and brain matter covered his face as the man slumped over and Cannis looked in horror at the man. In shock he dropped his weapons and tried to shake him to stop him retroactively it was panic and impulse he knew he was dead, but he just had to try.

His ear still ringing he could hardly hear what was going on and as it finally started to clear he was jolted forward and slammed back into his seat losing all consciousness. The eruption that had occurred from the ships land fall was immense. Cannis woke his seats strap broken and he found himself in a pile of bodies. As he looked around he heard their morning saw their weak struggling he felt sick yet he knew he could not let his brothers suffer. These men were dying and so Cannis gave them all quick quiet ends to stop them from feeling anymore pain from having to lay in this grave alive and afraid. As he finished he held back tears and went toward the grouping of men now gathered survivors and some seemingly well. As he moved he noticed he was bleeding from where shrapnel and had cut through his armor and across his abdomen. The warm blood ran down him and his movements were pained, but he walked on to join the unit. He knew that if they stayed here if they didn't make plans to move soon they would die. The crash site would soon be found by those who shot the ship and they would surround and scavenge what they and kill any who were here.