Capítulo 22: Lost Pride, Corrupted Honor

A blur. A fleeting moment. Like blowing out a candle, xeno forces present were snuffed out. A lone mech, its machine guns had ascending smoke as the muzzles were bright orange of non-stop lead dispersion. The combination of the strafing run, the support of the mechanized unit, and Steve's unbridled stamina to stay in the thick of it brought forth a victory. As of now, the team and Aze are recuperating. Checking ammo, checking themselves. Steve was the current concern here. For Aze, it was due to his mission directive of keeping Storm Team safe. Right now, Steve is in the most danger– if he heard others say such things, he'd simply dismiss it.

Steve not in danger! Steve is danger… somewhere along those lines.

To Aze, compliments to the team. When it comes to dealing with bugs, they were exceptional. Which brings one to wonder how they'd fair dealing with their own kind. He was not to be compared to the Ikons for he was a genetically modified soldier with some dragon affixes. Plus, how degrading it would be, to be limped into the same group as those traitors.

The time for danger has subsided– for now. At the moment, the time for talk is called for.

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Huddled loosely in a circle, the entirety of Storm Team faces the lone giant. The faces of each member, aside from one, had more… dramatic flare to them. Yuki especially, she sat on a ledge– cross legged, showing off those fair legs. Getting rocks thrown at you twice is more than likely going to induce a sour mood to anyone that faces such blunt trauma. Her index finger slowly glided over the trigger on her Idunn– openly showing her hostility.

Takashi wasn't as livid but certainly more tense. He may not have faced the giant upfront, but experienced getting shot by the damned thing– keeping you suppressed as if it knew when to shoot you and each time. He felt naked, like a hunted prey. To him, he is a toying predator. Even now, Aze stood before them. Aze, silent, disciplined, and attentive. Aze was a soldier through and through. That's one thing he can see the pride of. Takashi easily identified the proud soldier as Aze stood with his chest out and proud. But such admirable qualities are quickly overshadowed by a nightmarish fuel of their encounter. Especially the speed at which Aze ran. Something that large shouldn't be moving that fast.

Kaito, the young air-raider leaned up against a wall– arms crossed. The arm crossing below held a remote. He too was ticked off. But more so due to the humiliation of getting blown up by your own explosive device. How Aze just watched, stood over him as he deployed the explosive roombas will forever be ingrained in his mind. His left hand deftly fiddled with said remote; ready to call in broken arrow if needed.

Steve, now fully equipped with his dexter shotgun and blasthole spear he found back in the field, stood idly by. His mind was empty, thoughts floated here and there. He was living the good life only he knows how to live. His suit was worse for wear. Propulsion systems have seen better days and his pristine armor is all dented. Small exposed layers, a consequence of getting picked up by them six legged bastards.

Hana, she paced small steps back and forth, trying to come at a consensus. She was the least bit threatened by Aze during their scuffle. That led her to figuring out that Aze wasn't a threat– right now at least. After the battle, Steve reported as to what happened through hand gestures and body language. Hana, with her years of experiencing Steve's creative way of reporting, she quickly picked up on what happened. The spar, the arrival of Aze on a pod, to him waking up.

Steve thought they were playing charades.

Hana stopped, giving her full attention to the silver giant.

"You, what and who are you?" Hana questioned, the others listened.

Aze quickly responds, "I'm Aze Vendrandar, son of my Lord Primarch Dureaus Vendrandar and Keeper of the Draconic Revenant Legion. I am an Astartes."

Vendrandar, the name all of which each astartes under Dureaus had inherited. But only those aptly named by the Lord Father can wield that name– proudly say upon their gothic tongues. A surname unspoken, but it needn't be said for one to act like a Vendrandar.

Quick and onto the point, Hana asked another question. "…What are you doing here?"

"Are you Storm Team?" Aze asked in confirmation. He had hunches and some dialogue ques, but better asked and double check.

Hana nods in verification.

"Then– my objective is your protection. Directly ordered by my Lord Father."

"Why?" Kaito asked this time.

Aze looks at his visor, "he believes in your importance at a coming time, specific reasons are unknown to me."

"Who's this 'lord father'?" Kaito asked.

"My gene-father. His blood runs through my veins as well as the rest of my brothers. He carries with him the will of the Emperor– and we carry his," pride, a single descriptor that fits his voice perfectly. Nothing but utmost devotion to his father, the Primarch of the Draconic Revenants.

"Sure didn't look like it," Kaito replied underneath his breath– offhandedly. It comes to no surprise that Aze heard such words. Only attributing it to a child's rebellious act.

But something from within irked him direly. As he side eyed Kaito– unbeknownst to him– he thought less of him. Not due to the spur of Kaito's off handed comment. He thought entirely less of him, down to his very being. A god complex of sorts, only at its infancy.

"I already told you that Steve was the one to instigate it." Hana tried to bridge reason.

"While that is true," Takashi chimes in– gesturing with his hand, "Aze–"

"It's Keeper to you ranger," Aze interrupted. A bit of bite behind his words, "You shall address me by rank."

"… Right– Keeper it is," Takashi straightens up upon Aze's commanding voice, "Could've gone easier on the poor fella." Takashi points at the waned armor Steve now wore.

As for the man in the armor, he just gives the group a thumbs up.

Aze followed Takashi's gesture, but sees no reason he should retract or apologize for his actions.

"If I'd have done so, that would be a disgrace to me, my chapter, my Lord Father, and to your friend Steve. He is a fine warrior, one surely welcome within the ranks of the Legion. To lessen my strikes anymore would be a disgrace to him just as much as it is to me. Each strike I gave had the intention to break every bone– rip every ligament– tear every muscle. A spar should be just like that. Nonlethal, but just as gruesome."

—Click!

Aze turns the safety off his bolter– gauntlet gently holding the grip as if subduing the gun itself if but for a moment.

"If that is your inclination, I see no reason to leave a stain on my record live," Aze maliciously and quickly points the bolter at Takashi– headlevel. Takashi quickly raises his hands up in the air as he submits to the sudden show of force. His throat betrays his cries for mercy, only conveyed by the windows of the soul. Aze peeked in… and ignored it.

Hana, Steve, and Kaito were quick to aim their weapons at Aze as well. Steve more so in confusion. The conversation was… too convoluted for his liking. Only paying attention when his name was called. Otherwise, his eyes were too busy examining Aze's backside, wondering how the stinger works.

"Woah woah woah!" Yuki raised her Idunn, "you're not making any sense here Keeper. First you told us you're here to protect us and now you're threatening a member of our team. Which is it?" Her Idunn purrs in electricity, ready to pounce at the release of a finger.

"That is true," Aze lowered his bolter. Yuuki followed suit. But as they watched the tense exchange, Aze never completely lowered his bolter. His muzzle was like a flower ready to bloom at Takashi's knee.

"The mission never mentioned that any of you have to be in one piece, only that you may draw breath still."

If fear hadn't struck Takashi, it surely does now. His previously nullified voice was long gone. His eyes– the windows– closed shut. Frozen still, stiff like morning wood. How ironic as he looked as one would during excessive blood loss: pale.

The tension built even higher as they had a standoff. To the point Steve couldn't ignore it anymore. Gazing between the two parties, he had to make a decision. On one hand, he finally made a buddy that could match him in stride– maybe even more. On the other were his friends, safe to say his new family.

Within every fiber of his well being, he walked a step. His decision finale as it landed on the Earth. It landed him in between Aze and the others. His arms were out, an act of protection. His back towards his team. His spear and shotgun were holstered on his back.

Aze… his face unreadable quietly commended Steve as he took to his guns. But only one person can stop him now– much to the other's unknowing frustration.

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Unbeknownst to Aze, he was being watched. As soon as the opposing fleet was destroyed– the rest in retreat– Dureaus has had his eyes on Aze and his three chapters. The war below was going steady. As his marines landed, the sorry state of the Ikons was now reduced to irrelevance. But that's what a fool would think. Now that they weren't in immediate danger of being picked off as soon as they leave the confines of the ship, Dureaus has ordered the reinforcement of the frontlines in Europe. The first of the machines were just being loaded, ready to be shipped in the war below.

When his legion landed, the Ikons were immediately pushed back further and further west.

Seeing no issue with that front, Aze was the issue that needed to be addressed. Gazing from the command view, he watched as Aze sparred with an unknown fencer. He doesn't need his name to know that that fencer is main character material with just its resilience alone. Aze held back, back enough to give the armored fellow a thrashing with such broken ribs and ravaged ligaments. Then comes the tussle with the fencer's team mates. They were good too. Storm Team came to mind. Even though in the game, the player was the only member of Storm Team, reality is often different. Two rangers, a wing-diver, an air-raider, and the already mentioned fencer. A five stack.

Aze took some hits, lucky ones really. But it's safe to say that this team is Storm Team. They just oozed main character luck and skill.

He couldn't hear Aze or Storm Team talking, with just the real time rendition alone Dureaus had to guess they were settling differences… whatever happened to that as Aze drew his bolter.

Standing just shy of his chair– just off to the side– Dureaus disappointedly shakes his head. With a heavy sigh, he complained, "god damnit Aze."

Followed by another heavy sigh, he calls over vox.

Considering he was still on the bridge, he wasn't alone. But judgment wasn't in the minds of his techmarine sons. Although, the 15 individual's trying to get information on where they'll fit were once again side lined to the back. They awkwardly watched as Dureaus seemingly gazed onto the floor of the bridge. Thoughts churning, they could easily see that. But the sigh and the subtle complaint, one can't help but wonder if Dureaus is crazy– if Dureaus has a voice in his head.

Ask a Primarch that question, see what happens. They couldn't very well ask without the potential repercussions. If not by him, then by his sons currently working the bridge. Reminder that they were unarmed and unprotected with any gear. It's easy enough for a bolter to chew through basic kevlar, much less a being with only flesh to call his armor.

Guess they'll never know.

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In the depths of the Ikon army stationed at the center of France, stood a sleeping giant. A walking fortress, nothing like the mobile outpost the Draconic Revenants have faced. It wasn't alone as it stood. A dozen of them lay in waiting for their pilots to send their mechanical hearts ablaze. This wasn't the least of the Legion's unknown concerns. Something more beastial, more inclined to rampage personified, cold blooded they walk the Earth. Overgrown reptiles and mechanical monsters standing about 50 meters tall (164.042 feet tall)– maybe more– they rivaled that of Emperor Titans in height alone.

Living flesh, mechanical wonder, it matters not in the face of the Legion. It is their duty to prevail upon surmounting odds– be it by numbers or size.

You know as they say: Come not between the dragon, and his wrath. William Shakespear had something to do with that. The fools that don't heed such warnings are meant to be fried in dragon's breath. No mercy, no empathy, just utter– unadulterated indifference.

Another undertaking underway; with no knowledge of it from the ones that were unknowingly given the task. But, for this to fall onto the belts of these space marines as a trophy is a wonder only they can pull off.