Chương 2: Webway
I watch as 'The Burning One' sets up one of the massive Dolmen Gates. A Dolmen Gate is a living stone portal that serves as a gate into a portion of the Webway created by the Old Ones. The Webway, also known as the Labyrinth Dimension, or the Labyrinthine Dimension in older texts, is an extra-dimensional space partitioned off from the Immaterium, which has posed quite a nuisance to the C'tan and our war effort. The Aeldari as well as the Old Ones use this for faster-than-light travel and are quite slippery due to it.
The Webway has been described by the C'tan as an incredibly complex network of arteries and capillaries, a maze of glowing tunnels, and a mystic tapestry of hidden threads that spread across the veil between realspace and the Warp. It is a hyper-dimensional construct that spans the dimensions of Creation, primarily defined by the fact that it sits between the material realm and the roiling tides of the Warp, an interstice comparable to the fabric of a veil cast over something foul.
As with all of the Aeldari's most prized artefacts, the Webway was brought into being by psychic means, and the substance of its myriad corridors are protected by the manner, methods and composition of their construction from incursions from the Warp. And right now, our C'tan Master has created the Dolmen Gate, which will allow us to enter this labyrinth and reach the Old Ones.
"Kekekeke ... Look at it! Look at it, Hasyn. Can you see it? Can you see the potential and understand what this means?" Nyadra'zatha asks me as he finally finishes the Dolmen Gate.
"I can, Lord Nyadra'zatha. The advantage of the Old Ones is crumbling, just like their lives will."
"Kekeke, well said Hasyn. Indeed, the war will soon come to an end with this. I have long desired to carry my eldritch fires into that space beyond space and show them what my fire will do to their labyrinth. We'll flush them out and burn them all!!"
I observe the fire-obsessed C'tan in his crazy state. The air around him pulsates with heat that burns space-time around him and agitates their states, causing time to flow faster, space to expand or just get destroyed. I have no emotion as I watch him, but my mind processes all the information I can get from these casual displays of power for when it matters. With the discovery of the Dolman Gates, the war is going to come to a close soon.
"Osikosoekh, get a move on, we will use this chance to attack them where it hurts most!" Nyadra'zatha commands the Phaeron who doesn't say anything and just gives out mental commands to all the Overlords under his command in the Prakasri Dynasty. Osikosoekh the Waiting, is an observant but hesitant Necron Phaeron and not decisive enough in my opinion. When it matters, he goes along with what the C'tan says and is incapable of any self-initiative.
"At once my Lord."
.
The Prakasri Dynasty marches on through the Dolman Gate and into the Webway. And inside the C'tan goes absolutely crazy. The pyromaniac sets fire to the labyrinth and laughs as the walls burn and crumble under his might. We follow along, providing inputs whenever it is asked of us. I look around, calculating everything I see.
"My Lord, something is happening to the Webway."
"Tell me," I reply to my Cryptek.
"There are unusual spacio-temporo disturbances. The energies seem to oscillate more and more suggesting breakdown."
"Dolmen Gates are neither so stable nor so controllable as the naturally occurring entrances to the Webway scattered across the galaxy. We are being isolated."
"Indeed, it seems that in some curious fashion, the Webway can detect when its environs have been breached by us using the Dolmen Gate and its mechanisms swiftly attempt to seal off the infected spur from the rest of the Labyrinth Dimension until the danger to its integrity has passed."
"So we must reach our intended destination through its shifting extra-dimensional corridors quickly, lest the network itself brings about our destruction."
I approach the Phaeron with this information. He listens in his usual manner but doesn't outright react. Finally, his countenance changes as the space seems to shift and we are about to be separated from our C'tan Master.
"Attention all Necron Overlords. The Webway is sealing itself off. Retreat to the Dolman Gate immediately, we are leaving, lest we face destruction."
"Phaeron Osikosoekh, if we leave now, we won't reach the exit to the homeworld Lord Nyadra'zatha has in mind. The extermination of the Old Ones is our top priority," I comment to the Phaeron.
"Irrelevant. With a destroyed army, there is nothing to do. We retreat."
"Lord Nyadra'zatha, will be furious and not accept this reasoning. I suggest pushing forward. There is a 49.275% chance we could make it."
"Chances too low. We retreat."
I stop and think about it. We are about to not only retreat but leave behind our C'tan Lord inside the Webway. Should he make it out and the chances are far too high for that not to happen, we are basically exterminated already. I can't have all my progress be in vain. I calculate everything at light speed and come to a decision. I turn to my Cryptek and give him a command.
"Don't turn around. Ignore the command given by Phaeron Osikosoekh. We push forward."
"As you command, my Lord."
Our Cairn Class Tomb Ship accelerates instead of slowing down and turning around. I try to mentally connect to C'tan Lord Nyadra'zatha, but his insane state has him ignore my probe. Instead the image of Phaeron Osikosoekh appears on our screen.
"Overlord Hasyn, you are not turning around and instead accelerating. What is going on?"
"Phaeron, your inability to take action has made you a weakness in our war effort. I am taking things into my own hands and pushing for success in this endeavour."
"This will be taken as you declaring yourself as a traitor. Prepare to be deleted, should you return."
I shut off the transmission and focus on the task at hand. I can feel the feedback coming from the sensors of the ship. The Webway is slowly but surely pushing us further and further, cutting off our routes and the way towards the C'tan.
"My Lord, we are approaching critical deformation. I suggest employing the shields at once," the Cryptek tells me with his usual emotionless tone. That is our biggest strength as Necrons. We are beings of logic and science. Nothing truly phases us, except the betrayal we experienced. But that will be addressed soon.
"Do it immediately and change their frequency to match the pressing energies from the Webway. Let's see if we can't learn something in this situation."
"At once, my Lord."
I take control of the ship, push its capacities beyond its limits and make it go faster than it can normally. We have reached our C'tan but just in that moment, the Webway expresses his 'anger' and shuts off the way, opening forcefully and 'spitting' us out.
*GROOOAANN*
*CRAASHHH*
The hull groans and then we crash on the surface of the planet. I can feel the damage on the ship and know that we won't fly with it any time soon. A big chunk was ripped off and destroyed a lot of our forces in the process. Meaning, that we are stranded in this place, have lost roughly 30% of our forces and the C'tan is also not present.
"What planet have we arrived on?"
"Troudasha, my Lord. It seems we arrived on the planet we were aiming towards in the first place. This is one of the Old Ones' Fortress worlds," the Cryptek tells me.
"Do tell."
.
The answer to our intrusion is immediate. The ginormous fortress of the Old One is turned into defensive battle mode and the attacks have already begun to be launched at us. I organise our remaining forces at once and thanks to my control over electronics and all machines, I make this process that much smoother. All sensors are spread to tell me as much about the terrain as possible. I need information to form the most appropriate response.
"Nakhmos, take battlegroup delta and move towards the north. Cut off any army that comes our way. I will command the south and move around the hill."
"At once, my Lord."
I delegate all the movements of our forces. The Lords know their tasks and will move forward when I tell them to, but for now, they will set up a safe zone.
"My Lord, movement in space. A fleet is incoming."
"What kind?"
"... scanners indicate ... Old Ones, my Lord."
"Very well. Notify all units, battle plan alpha 2 until further notice."
"At once."
A large spaceship exits the Webway and the forces arrive to aid this Old One. From the spaceship, something is thrown towards our position. The small dots slowly grow and paint a picture of green humanoids ...
"My Lord-"
"The Krorks have arrived."
"Indeed, Lord Hasyn. What are your orders?"
"Change in battle plans to epsilon 28 - code named: guerilla."
"Affirmative."
And so the battle begins. The Krorks, 12-meter tall giants with intelligence to rival some of the most intelligent races in the galaxy and an absolute menace for anyone not prepared for them. They are shot out of the spaceship instead of landing the 'usual way' and crash on the ground.
"WAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!"
Their storm starts and they begin to storm towards the nearest enemy. That doesn't seem to ever change. Their intelligence may be higher and their equipment much more advanced, but their way of fighting is similar to their Ork cousins. The Krorks rush the Necron Warriors with overwhelming numbers and power. Guns blazing, weapons ready and swinging, they crush anything in their path. The Necron Warriors fire their Gauss weapons and hit them more, dwindling their numbers, but it doesn't do much. The Krorks multiply by having their blood spilt and spreading their spores, but the Gauss weapons are perfect to counter that.
And yet, it doesn't do much, as the ever-growing tide of green skins spills its own blood by shooting themselves by accident or running each other over. After a while, the Krorks destroy the last Necron Warrior and suddenly find themselves standing alone on the battlefield ... not one Necron is seen by them and their battle spirit, which has been growing up to this point ... pulsates with green energy.
"Wha's goin' on ere?"
"Looks like there ain't no more metal men to scrap with."
"Think they're scared?"
"Rubbish, they don't feel nuffin'."
"So they do feel then?"
"Nah, ya daft fool, they don't feel nuffin'. That's just how I talk, same as you."
"Right."
"So wot we doin' now?"
"I reckon-"
*FWOOM*
A green beam impacts the biggest Krork's head, shooting a hole and dispersing the atoms into the wind. The others are immediately back in battle mode and look around, to find where the attack came from.
All the way from the back a small unit of Immortals can be seen marching towards them and firing their Gauss weapons at the Krorks and disabling their equipment.
"There they are! Get 'em, they offed Dronk!"
Some of them rush forward attacking the Immoratls, while others don't move and continue to look around. They feel that this is strange and doesn't seem like a Necron tactic. The smaller group of Krorks suffer casualties but still manage to destroy the Immortals.
Once again, they stand alone on the battlefield without an enemy to fight. They grow angry and suspicious, but just as they are about to explode, a bigger group of Necrons finally approaches from the front, marching and shooting them from afar.
"WAAAAAAGHHHH"
Excited the Krorks rush forward shooting their weapons. Their Waagh energy increases more and more, while their numbers dwindle more and more. But their excitement supersedes any sense of danger that they actually feel. They fire massive amounts of ammunition from their advanced weaponry and cause large explosions. And finally, the clash happens.
*Crash*
*Boom*
...
"Wha's goin' on?"
"This was all a trick! We've been duped. They ain't really fightin' us. They're makin' us think we're in a scrap, while they—"
!!!
"Bollocks! They're tearin' us to bits!"
The Krorks finally realise what is going on. Their Waagh energy is a real problem for most enemies the Krorks face and the Necrons are no different in that regard. But just for that reason, I have devised a strategy to stop their Waagh energy from forming and growing larger. There is nothing the Krorks as well as the Orks love more than frontal warfare. A brutal war, that takes long and has as much violence as possible, is what they enjoy. They grow more and more powerful and their numbers don't dwindle but increase through the spores.
But not on my watch.
I have turned this into the most boring fight for the Krorks they an imagine. The Deathmarks are sniping them from afar and taking out the biggest Krorks, making them weaker and weaker.
The handful of Krorks are desperately searching for a solution when I finally step forward. The last few shall be reaped by my own hand before-
*BOOOM BOOOM*
Multiple explosions rip through the battlefield and cause the remaining Krorks to die and their bodies to splash all across the field. My gaze changes direction to see another enemy, I was not expecting ... this early at least. They are faster than calculated ... the Aeldari.
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