Torleif looked upon the relic weapon in his hand. It was an ancient frost blade, made from some kind of ancient bone and very hard and sharp. It would make a great gift for Ragnar to present to the Frostwolves. Once again, Torleif wondered why the Necrons were so interested in a Space Wolves weapon. But it made for a great bait and Torleif had made sure that the tracks of the Space Wolves were easy enough to follow. Morven and his Reivers had stayed behind to watch the Necrons and he confirmed that the vile Xenos were indeed following the trail. Once again, Torleif found himself thinking again about the new Primaris. The Necron Destroyer Lord had cut down Morven’s Night Terrors when they last met, but the marines had recovered in record time. They were indeed powerful. Torleif committed himself to speak to the Wolf Priest Folke Grimfrost about crossing the Rubicon Primaris after this mission. It was indeed good fortunate that the veteran Wolf Priest had chosen to accompany his troops this day.
’Huskarl! Better get ready. They are here.’ said Ove Stormwolf, the Rune Priest accompanying Torleif. He had also recovered well, but had fresh scars from his fight with the Flayed Ones.
The Necrons approached through the ruins again, spreading out along a wide line. The Necron Warriors held one flank each, and the Immortals and Lychguard advanced down the centre, with the Destroyers hanging back to wait for a good target.
The Space Wolves deployed left flank heavy, with the right anchored by the Predator and Nils the Reaper. The centre was held by the Grey Hunters in a Rhino, supported by Torleif, Ove, and Folke on foot in the ruins. A second Grey Hunter Pack from Ragnar Blackmane’s Great Company took overwatch position in a ruin. The eager Blood Claws sat in a Rhino on the left flank, in support of the Wulfen and Fenrisian wolves.
The Scarabs swarmed forwards, as the Immortals and Lychguard reluctantly trudged forward to take positions. Still at extreme range of most guns, the Necron fire had little effect.
The Grey Hunters disembarked, before their Rhino sped forwards between the buildings, firing its smoke launchers to block the line of sight of the Immortals and Lychguard. The Grey Hunters instead advanced with Torleif, Ove, and Folke. Ulven Wildclaw, Pack Leader of the Wildclaws Wulfen Pack, was true to name and reputation, as the Wulfen quickly advanced towards the emerging Necron Warriors. They were followed by the impetuous Blood Claws and Fenrisian Wolves. Blackmane’s Grey Hunters provided covering fire and the Predator and Nils opened fire on the hovering Destroyers. Torleif and Folke were quicker then the Grey Hunters and Ove, and charged the Scarab swarm, a Litany of Hate on Folke’s lips as he swung his crozius arcanum among the Scarabs, while Torleif raked with his wolf claw until no Scarab was left. The Wildclaws and Blood Claw’s Rhino braved the gauss fire of the Necron Warriors, but made it into combat with minimal casualties and started wreaking havoc.
The Immortals and Lychguard moved up to position themselves better to pour gauss fire onto the Predator and obscured Rhino, while the Destroyers fired on Nils and the Predator. Nils and the Predator were damaged and the Rhino completely destroyed. Meanwhile, the Necron Warriors retreated from the Wulfen and tried to finish them from afar with little success.
Folke and Torleif chased the retreating Necrons, as the Wildclaws spotted their new prey: the Lychguard emerging through the destroyed Rhino. The Blood Claws reembarked on their Rhino, as it sped closer to the Lychguard, while the Fenrisian wolves advanced behind them. Morven’s Night Terrors entered the battlefield behind the Destroyers. Ove led the Grey Hunters rapid fire into the Lychguard, as the Night Terrors, Nils and the Predator focussed their fire on the Destroyers. Once again, a Litany of Hate was uttered by Folke as he followed Torleif in finishing of the Necron Warriors, supported by the Fenrisian wolves. The Grey hunters joined the Wildclaws in the assault on the Lychguard and between them, they left only two of the squad standing.
The Canoptek Spyder and Destroyer Lord retreated back, while the Immortals slowly advance again. The Destroyers took out the last of the Wildclaws with gauss fire and the Destroyer Lord wanted a rematch against the Night Terrors. But Morven’s warriors had learned from their last encounter, and the Destroyer Lord made little damage.
Summoning a mighty storm to shield his allies, Ove and the Grey Hunters advanced on the Necron Lord and Immortals in the centre. The damaged Blood Claw Rhino sped forward and Torleif, Folke and the Fenrisian Wolves moved to support Morven’s men. Torleif was cut down by the Destroyer Lord, but the vile Xenos fell to the might of the wounded Folke’s crozius immediately after. Ove and the Grey Hunters fired on the Necron Lord, before finishing him off in close combat and engaging the Canoptek Spyder and Destroyers in close combat, killing the Destroyers. The Fenrisian wolves and Folke then took cover behind a building to avoid the return fire from he Necron Warriors.
The Blood Claws disembarked their damaged Rhino and ran towards the Necron lines, as Folke led the Night Terrors and the Fenrisian wolves against the last Necron Warriors. Ove kept leading the Grey hunters and they fell upon the last of the Immortals, finishing them off in close combat. The remaining Canoptek Spyder and Necron Warriors realised the futility of continuing, and teleported away from the Space Wolves victory.
After the battle, the wounded Torleif walked up to Folke, as he was applying healing balms to the injured.
’Brother Wolf Priest,’ Torleif said. ’I am ready to try to cross the Rubicon Primaris.’
Folke paused in his work and turned a sincere face towards Torleif.
’You are aware of the risks this involves?’ he replied.
’I am.’
’Ulrik the Slayer saw to it that the Frostfang was equipped with the necessary equipment to cross the Rubicon. Come to the medical deck when we are back onboard,’ Folke finished, returning to his patient and dismissing the Battle Leader.