The Cruelbeasts move in careful formation, displaying coordination and skill at arms belying their feral appearance, the Daemonspawn lending their strength and flabby bulk wherever it may be needed to shore up the advancing line.

Once enough space has cleared, the Fire Daemon, Steelheard, and Blightwing the Shadowlord coalesce just in front of Soul Reaver.  Blightwing points a regal, taloned finger and shouts a guttural order.  Without hesitation, the line of Cruelbeasts part while the Fire Daemon purses his lips and spews forth a roaring blast of fire through the gap, igniting several of the Shaitan and forcing the rest to fall back further.  The Steelheart then charges forward, the few Shaitan counterattacks ricocheting harmlessly off its metallic flesh, swinging its enormous mace in huge sweeping arcs.  Bones crunch and ragdoll bodies fly metres through the air, lifelessly hitting the ground with a thump several second later.

The Daemonic forces surge forward through the gap, sinister balefires of Daemon magic flickering from Blightwing's fingers to sow bladed agony amidst his enemy.  They move swiftly and efficiently, Soul Reaver responding with blade and magic wherever the foe tries to rally.  He knew that speed was of the essence - the enemy had to be kept off-balance, or the small, elite force might find themselves overwhelmed.  He trusted that Phaerys would have no trouble keeping up.

Fortunately the Shaitan seemed unprepared for the sheer power that was being arrayed against them: from the corner of his eye Soul Reaver could see Kitharsis' sandstone creations pounding enemies into paste, while Ork Roks screamed down from the skies, belching forth hordes of green-skinned warriors who made up for their lack of discipline and marksmanship with noise, numbers and bloodthirsty enthusiasm.

With all the chaos around them, it is not long before Soul Reaver's forces reach the keep just behind Jharm.  In a flash of light, the seraphim blasts the doors open.

Soul Reaver issues orders to Blightwing - the Daemons were to prevent any Shaitan from attacking their rear.  They would continue to do as much damage and sow as much chaos among the enemy as possible, but if necessary, would ensure they could fall back to the more defensible keep entryway and hold it for as long as needed.  With his commands issued, Soul Reaver runs after Jharm into the heart of the keep.

He halts a few steps behind the seraphim.  He takes in the room, the crystal, and its Shaitan defender.  The creature was clearly powerful and seemed confident in its abilities.  Arrogantly, it invites Jharm strike first.

Soul Reaver would not waste free time if it was given.  He steps behind Jharm, where he begins to chant, mana surging through his veins.  His eyes fixed forward, he holds one hand facing up and partially open.  His fingers tremble with effort as motes of white light begin to gather and arc above his palm...

The arrival of the Companions leads to almost instant chaos amongst the Shaiton lines.  The demonic forces and sand creatures manifesting in their midst shatters the resolute bulwarks that were once holding fast even as waves of bullets and blades slice down scores of defenders.  It isn't long before the forces of Light have pushed to the gate of the keep.  Jharm raises a hand, a single flash of light shooting upwards before a series of booms can be heard from the rear as the Lightcannons unleash a barrage centered on the entrance.  The orbs of light crash into the door, shattering the hinges and causing the large fixtures to collapse to the ground.

"Onwards!  No doubt one of their Generals awaits us within, protecting the Crystal Ward.  We destroy that and my people can better assist with reinforcements!"

Without any hesitation the Seraphim rushes past the broken gates as the Seraph forces work to form a perimeter around the breeched entrance.

Vee on the other hand seems to be rather enjoying herself as she continues to spin and twirl about, leaving either corpses either riddled with bullets or perforated with razer-sharp spikes of glistening ice.  Hearing the Seraphims words she lets out a slight sigh

"Bugger...and just when I was starting to finally have some fun.  Course, that said...it sounds like these "Generals" should certainly put up more of a challenge then their troops seem to be."

With a flourish of her hand she sends out a wave of ice, spearing the nearest rank of Shaiton as her form once more disappears into a shadowy portal behind her to reappear a few feet back, right at the now broken gateway.  Turning she takes off after the charging Seraphim, her long coat trailing behind her as she cant help but grin as she wonders what awaits them inside.

Jharm continues down the entryway, not even seeming to wait to confirm that the rest of the Companions are behind him or not.  Turning a few corners he quickly arrives at a set of large doors currently closed.  Without even breaking his stride he brings his hammer and and slams it against the doors, sending them flying into the room they are securing.  Said room is large, seemingly something akin to an entrance hall of some kind.  There is little in the room beside a large ebony crystal floating above a pedestal, power radiating from it marking it almost certainly the ward preventing the opening of non-Shaiton gates in the area.  Standing in front of the crystal is a large armored figure.  The armor looks to be forged of a pure black metal, the edges adorned with runes pulsing in purple.  Strapped to the figures back is two large greatsword, his arms crossed in front of him as he simply stands and watches the Seraphim and the Companions enter.  A masculine voice rings out from under the helm, deep and resonating with a hint of almost sarcasm at the edges.

"Ahh...well done Seraphim.  I've been expecting you.  He said you would almost certainly be arriving with others unknown to us.  What a rather odd sort they are I must say.   We've got "big green and angry", "tall dark and brooding with a dash of demon", well these two at least seem interesting, "lots of tattoos and sand creatures" and "Metallic automaton being" and then we have.."

His gaze falls on Vee and he seems to pause for a moment, his armored head tilting slightly before he continues.

"Strange...a strange one it seems.  Let's face it though, we both know why you are here.  I see little reason to waste further time on idle banter.  Come then Seraphim, lets see if you're time away and your compatriots are up to the task."

The armored figure uncrosses his arms, reaching up behind him to grab at the twin swords and draws them.  The blades seem to be crafted of a similar dark metal as his armor and begin to glow with a purple aura as he slams the tips down into the ground, the glow spreading to encompass his entire form.

"Tis only fair that you get first strike I think."

As the hatch opened, Gulgrim flung himself out of it, the earth buckling under his weight as he landed, stone and earth flinging outward from the force of falling Ork mass. In the split-second that these small bits of debris are rising, just before they fall, a green spark arcs from Gulgrim's form and dances and darts between the scattering detritus, imparting each bit of upturned terrain with an iota of Orky violence. Instead of falling as gravity bid, each flung speck of earth suddenly shot out in all directions as if fired from a gun, impacting violently against nearby shaitan and exploding in crackling green flame, a hail of meteoric WAAAGH!!! Grenades creating a cascading ring of popping detonations around the Warboss's impact site.

As Gulgrim rose from his crouched position, both his hands rose up holding one of his twin Big Shootas, Mork's Teef and Gork's Teef, and as they came up, they came alive, spitting death at rapid pace at any enemy unlucky enough to find themselves traced in the line of fire, the incessant DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA of Orky firepower playing counterpoint to the battle around.

From just outside the visible radius of the fight came a loud thumping boom and a crashing sound as thumpa grenades from Orky grenade launchers detonated in the distance, scattering Shaitan as Varog and his Beast Snaggas came charging onto the field, riding astride massive squighogs, enormous beasts made of sharp teeth and bad tempers, grenade launchers and sluggas blaring, choppas and klaws slashing, bashing, and snapping wildly in all directions, the hollering of Orks on the warpath ever-present. Varog himself, the largest and most heavily scarred ork in the mob, seemed to be plowing a path of destruction to try and clear the way for his Warboss, acting as the tip of the Ork assault's spear.

Far in the distance, the sounds of Orky firepower could yet be heard as the rest of the Orks touched down on the front lines, falling in Roks and descending on ships to greet the main bulk of the enemy army while the Companions and Varog's vanguard punched further in.

"Yeah, dis is what we like best!" Gulgrim howls, cackling madly as he unleashes hell on the Shaitan forces arrayed against him, bullets, blades, and Orky WAAAGH!!! energy thirsting for the escalation of violence that only a being so primordially designed for it could crave.

As the klaxon sounds and the hatch opens, the black pulsing mist at the back of the Aisgeim is forcibly sucked out by the air pressure difference.  Soul Reaver takes that as his cue and rushes to the hatch, hurling himself out feet-first.

He chants as he falls, and a white sphere of energy pulses into life around him before fading from view.  The black mists reform around him as he falls, swirling like a vortex with Soul Reaver at its epicentre.

One bolt of energy from the Shaitan forces glances off Soul Reaver's magical shield before he can reach the ground, but it fails to do any damage.

Controlling his fall, Soul Reaver lands in the midst of a cluster of the enemy, Blooddrinker already in his hands.  He lands directly atop one of the creatures, bearing it to the ground and simultaneously driving his crimson blade straight through it in a reversed two-handed grip.

The nearby Shaitan take a step back as he lands, and this gives just the room needed for the black mists to reach the ground around Soul Reaver's landing spot.  The mists coalesce back into physical form, and a troop of Cruelbeasts appear in a perfect circle around Soul Reaver.  In a single, coordinated movement, the muscled, spiked abominations each step forward and swing their weapons, cutting or bludgeoning down a Shaitan to consolidate their position.

Soul Reaver stands, spattered with Shaitan blood.  Out of the corner of his eye he can see Vee's dramatic arrival - it seemed she would more than hold her own in this battle.  Taking on a battle stance, Soul Reaver prepares to lead his Daemonic forces forward.

Jharm simply watches from a short distance away as the three large demonic figures emerge from the Warp Gate and acknowledge Soul Reaver, before they disappear into plumes of smoke.  It was not a decision he was fond of making, but his past choices and left few options for being picky about assistance.  He followed the other back onto the Aisgeim, watching the smoke plumes warily before turning his attention away and focusing elsewhere.

"General Drayvon, myself and the others will be en-route momentarily.  Are you managing to hold the front line still?

After a few moments he finally gets a response

"We managed to hold and have begun to finally push the Shaiton back closer to the fort with the assistance of the ones you call "Orks".  I must say though, their method of deployment is...haphazard to say the least.  Some of their landings have almost "landed" right amidst our forces, but one can not deny their motivation."


Jharm nods and then once more shifts his focus elsewhere.

"Lady Nethanya, how goes your forces?"

"All things considered we are doing better then anticipated.  Those Orks are proving to be ample distraction and helping to alleviate the pressure on my troops to protect against the forts bombardments.  I was unsure at first of the new devices you suggested but they are working quite well."

Vee on the other hand has already returned to the command deck and slipped back into the pilots chair.  She doesn't seem to pay much mind to Soul Reavers suggestion, though the warrior can almost feel like a presence somewhere around him is watching, almost monitoring the plumes.  Once all have boarded again, the ramp recedes and the hatch closes as the Aisgeims engines roar to life once more and the vessel rockets into the air and heads for the front lines.  It isnt long before they are flying over the battlefield, display monitors scattered around the ship seeming to show the outside view.  The surrounding land is in sharp contrast to the almost idealic terrain they were standing on but a short while ago.  The land itself looks almost lifeless, various shades of brown, grey, and black as opposed to the brilliant whites and golds.  What few trees can be seen are also just as lifeless, withered husks or shattered stumps.  Far below can be seen the two main armies with a sizable building, most certainly the target of current assault.  As the Aisgeim slowly starts to descend in altitude the battlefield becomes clearer. 

Battalions of Seraphs march towards the fort, clad in arrays of silver and gold.  Large devices looking to be crafted of seemingly a mixture of stone and steel reside on hills closer to the rear, occasionally the rear parts brightening quickly before the front end erupts in an explosion of light as an orb is launched far into the distance to come crashing down on the opposing forces while at the same time a multide of flashes and streaks of light can be seen as shields manifest seeming to block similar projectiles bearing a blackish purple color.  Further forward the front line can be seen, silver and gold crashing against a tidal wave of blacks and purples, blotches of green visible as Orkish Rokks crash into the ground and divulge their occupants.  Upon the top of the fort are large glowing crystals, flashing almost constantly as large beams of more blackish purple light blasts out, targeting the Orkish Armada in the air.  The Aisgeim slows significantly as Vee watches the battle unfold.

"Other then the colors, almost reminds me of home."

She then clears her throat and continues.

"While it looks like your fleet is certainly keeping their attention Gulgrim, I'll be damned if I'm going to risk flying the Aisgeim in close for any extended period.  Thus I recommend ya'll make your way down to the front of the hold.  There's a smaller hatch there that should make a rapid drop much easier, cause I'm sure once I fly in closer, those crystals wont hesitate to lock-on, or whatever it is they do, and start blasting out that purple light in our direction, say nothing of the forces on the ground potentially.  Thus, im not thinking your offer of artillery support will be very possible Phaerys."

Jharm nods and makes his way down into the hold, finding the hatch that Vee referenced on the opposite side.  Finding it leads to much smaller airlock its clear that should the lock be cycled that any within would either be able to jump (or perhaps depending on other factors, be sucked) out behind the Aisgeim as its flying.  Vee looks around for a moment to verify that any others on the command deck have also headed downwards.  Shifting in her chair she takes a few breaths and flexes her fingers.

"Alright, lets show them how we can truly fly."

Her eyes seem to glow for a moment as a few beeps can be heard from the console in front of her before she places her hands down on the armrests of the chair.  A moment later the temperature of the command deck starts to drastically plummet, ice forming around both Vee and the chair until it almost looks like she is frozen over.  From a speaker within the airlock Vee can be heard.

"Right then, I'll take us down, give ya'll a warning and then off you go to cause whatever sort of ruckus you can so we can try to get into that fort.  Don't worry about me, I'll be able to join you once ya'll are safely off and the Aisgeim is out of harms way.  Oh, I would recommend trying to hold on to something perhaps, since we are going in close, things could get quite bumpy."

After waiting for a few moments for everyone to make whatever last second preparations necessary, the Aisgeim suddenly surges forward and down, the engines rumbling loudly as the room seems to rock and shake about as the ship clearly seems to turning and rolling at incredible speeds.  A second later Vees voice is heard once more.

"Yep, those things are quite quick but we're holding our own for sure.  Gunna try to drop you as close to the gate as I can get, here we go!"

Then with a single emergency klaxon the outer hatch hisses open and all the occupants are likely either forced out by pressure/inertia or jump out to find themselves about 10-15 feet above the ground nad landing in an area awash in blood as its clear the Aisgeim blasted the area a moment ago to give the Companions a moment before battle occurs.  All around them are scored of heavily armored Shaiton, pitch black armor, lined with purple accents.  The enemy forces show no hesitation as they turn their assorted melee weapons against the sudden arriving group of attackers.

Jharm wastes no time as the hatch slips open, taking to the air before descending down to almost collide into the enemy forces.  His sledgehammer crushing the nearest Shaiton as if the armor was nothing, a shield of light shimmering on his other arm to block an incoming sword as a brilliant beam of light erupts around him, burning the surrounding Shaiton as he begins to work his way closer to the front of the fort, roughly 20-30 feet away or so.

"For the Light!"

Meanwhile the moment the Companions "disembarked" the Aisgeim rocketed upwards and out of range of the large crystals.  Back on the command deck the temperature rises once more as Vee seems to "thaw" out and lets out a heavy breath.

"Well now, time for me to join them."

She looks up affectionately towards the ceiling.

"You keep yourself out of harms way now, Who knows how accurate those Ork weapons are, not sure I'd trust them not to accidentally hit you or something."

The voice from earlier resonates from the speakers.

"Very well, do be safe down there."

She simply smiles and makes her way down to the cargo hold and to the back airlock where the others were a few moments ago.  Stepping inside, her eyes glow for a moment before metal plates start to slide up from her chest armor under her coat, moving upwards and covering her head.  A few seconds later another single klaxon sounds and the outer hatch hisses open.  Moving to the edge she gazes down at the battlefield a distance down as she slips the two revolvers from their holsters.

"And here we go...I swear this is reminding more of home then I'd like..."

She then swan dives out of the Aisgeim and starts rapidly descending downwards.  Gesture with her one gun-wielding hand a large chunk of ice manifests under her feet and she shifts, looking almost as if she is riding the frozen projectile downwards.  As the ground draws closer and closer she suddenly leaps off the ice and disappears into a shadowy portal, a similar portal appearing closer to the ground, only a few feet above the Shaiton forces and in close proximity to the other Companions.  She effortlessly seems to land on a Shaitons helmet, balancing perfectly before kicking off into a backflip as both the ice projectile crashes into the ground, instantly freezing those directly under it and piercing the surrounding area with razor sharp shards of ice.  As she is flipping through the air her revolvers bellow to life, the booms one could almost mistake for the sound of an Orkish weapon.  The woman begins to shift and move about, her arms twisting and turning so that any motion leads to one or both of her gun barrels blasting into an enemy in what could almost be described as a dance of death.