Lucas flew his circles over the battlefield. It was the first mission of the Blazenhearts and the Knight Venator had agreed to explore the area for Valten Blazenheart from the air. During the briefing in Azyr it turned out that a warband of Khorgos Khuls Goretide was threateningly close to a refugee camp recently discovered by the Hammers of Sigmar. Sigmar had sent Valten Blazenheart along with him and a Thunderhead Brotherhood to the camp near the ruins of the former city of Magmadrom to intercept this group. Valten had instructed his Liberator Prime Beowulf to fortify the camp, but there was a risk that this attachment would not finish on time. For this reason, Valten had gathered a small group. Duncan, a Liberator from Beowulf's retinue, who, like his Prime, used a grandhammer as a weapon, had first reported his support to Lord Celestant. In addition, Jaina and Steve, two Liberators followed the other Liberator followers and Vladimir, a Judicator with his Crossbow.
They wanted to slow down the advance to give the other more time.
'Magmadrom must have been an impressive city in the past,' Lucas thought as he looked down at the ruins from the air. The city was crisscrossed with several channels through which a steady stream of lava flowed and as unbelievable as it seemed to areas in Aqshy, there seemed to have been a small forested facility in the city. The chirping of his Stareagles, which Lucas called 'Veronica', brought him out of his thoughts.
"What did you see, Veronica?" He asked, scanning the area. Near the burned-out ruins of a commercial building he could see the first offshoots of the Bloodbound. Several Blood Warriors and Bloodreavers led by a Slaughterpriest made their way through the severely damaged ruins. "We have to tell the Lord Celestant," he said to Veronica, and made a turn. After a short flight, he could see the turquoise armor of his teammates between the rubble. Lucas dived and landed next to the Lord Celestant, dropping to his knees as he landed.
"First offshoots of the Bloodbound are approaching," Lucas said, saluting. "The ruins and debris in the area, however, seem to slow them down."
"Good," replied Valten. "That will give the others more time to fortify the camp. We will encounter them here. Men, take position in this area. Lucas, you will observe from above and if we fail you will fly back to Beowulf"
"Are you sure I shouldn’t fight by your side, Lord Blazenheart?" Lucas asked, a little worried.
Valten put his hand on his shoulder and said, "I know this mission is likely to be a suicide mission. Lucas, you are the highest ranking officer next to me. Should we be defeated you should lead the units here until I return. No matter what, do not fight. You have served me well as a scout. "
"As you wish, Lord Blazenheart," Lucas said, rising again. He had tried to suppress the doubts he had about this task, but he had no intention of resisting the order.
"Muhahaha, the false god sends us his henchmen!"
The exclamation had still been deafening loud despite Luca's height. He could see Slaughterpriest and his people spotting Valten.
"Do you think so?" Valten said quietly. "You have suppressed these lands long enough. We will stop you from continuing to shed the blood more innocently. "
"Muhahaha, Khorne does not care whose blood flows as long as it flows," said the Slaughterpriest, letting his morning star crash into the nearest wall. "For Khorne, finish them". The Chaos pack tried to reduce the distance as fast as the terrain allowed.
Valten faced the approaching group and summoned the hammers of his cloak and hurled them at Slaughterpriest. This bent through the impact. His helmet was cracked, revealing a scarred face.
"Not bad," the slaughterpriest said as he wiped a trail of blood from his mouth that seemed to come from internal injury. "But now speak your last desperate prayer."
Lucas could hear Slaughterpriest dark talking in a non mortal language.
Valten Blazenheart writhed, steam seemed to rise from armor.
"Lord Blazenheart, what is with you?" Duncan asked, approaching Valten.
"Stay back," Valten said in pain before the body of the Lord Celestant burst in a fountain of boiling blood and his soul rose as blue light past Lucas towards Azyr.
Lucas was shocked by the scene that had just happened. He was about to reach for his bow, but remembered his orders. The rest of the members were in shock too. "You'll pay for that!" Duncan shouted and ran with towards the Slaughterpriest, while Jaina tried to held off the accompanying Blood Warrior, by blocking the swing of his Goreglaive with her Shield.
"Good! Your Rage is pleasing my master!" the Slaughterpriest said grinning while swinging his Wrathhammer.
Meanwhile, Vladimir was in firing range and tried to support Jaina, but his bolts found no weakpoint in the Blood Warriors Armour.
Duncans Hammer clashed with the Blade of the Slaughterpriest when both arrived in close combat. After dodging a mighty swing of the Wrathhammer, Duncan found a weakspot do to the Slaughterpriests Injuries and kicked Slaughterpriest off his feet with a mighty swing.
"Wha ...?", the Slaughterpriest shouted surprised, when Duncans smashed his skull.
"This was for our Lord Celestant", he said before focussed the Blood Warrior fighting with Jaina.
Incited by the bloodshed, the Blood Warriors and Bloodreavers were not stopped by the loss of their priest and involved the remaining Stormcasts in close combat.
The Bloodreavers started to surround them. Jaina switched her focus to them after Duncan parried the Goreglaive with his Grandhammer. While she was able to kill some of the Bloodreavers, the Blood Warrior rammed Duncan, bringing him out of balance and than ripping his armour with the Goreglaive. Before Jaina could react she was slashed by the Blood Warriors backswing and sent back to Azyr.
Steve felt stunned when he saw the two blue lights rising to the sky, that he reacted to slow and fell after receiving several blows from the Meatripper Axes.
Vladimir was the last one to hold the Bloodreavers, trying to fall back to keep some distance, but this wouldn't last long.
Lucas hand was itching to intervene, so he could try to save Vladimir's life, but remembered his mission and that he wouldn't do much against this superiority. Lucas turned and flew as fast as his wings allowed back to the camp to deliver the bad news.
