bullyxtreme Chapter 253 Barbarians and Madmen
Chapter 253 Barbarians and Madmen
Karl Bloodblade slowly opened his eyes, his vision gradually clearing. He found himself lying in a simple medical room, the walls covered with chapter insignia and icons of the Emperor. The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant and metal, and he could hear the low hum of machinery.
His body still felt heavy, and the wound in his chest throbbed, but it had clearly been carefully treated. He tried to sit up, but found it difficult to move. Just then, he noticed the three people standing beside his bed—Russell, a warrior from Kashejin; Titus, captain of the Death Watch; and Celestine, captain of the Black Rose Sisters.
Titus stood at the forefront, his face stern, his eyes exuding an undeniable authority. He wore a suit of jet-black power armor, the Deathwatch emblem emblazoned on his shoulder armor, and held a bomb pistol, its shaft etched with the marks of battle. He looked down at Karl, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable air of pressure: "You're awake."
Russell stood to Titus's left, his expression even colder than Titus's, not even glancing at Karl. His Kashezin armor was riddled with bullet holes and knife wounds, and he was still toying with the Bloodthirsty entrenching tool in his hand. He didn't speak, just stood there silently, like a statue.
Celestine stood to Titus's right, her expression softened considerably, yet still bearing the solemnity and piety characteristic of the Sisters. Her black robes were embroidered with gold roses, and she held a flamethrower in her hand, a heavy holy book at her waist. A hint of concern in her eyes, she said softly, "Your men rescued you, and the apothecary has treated your wounds. You can rest now."
Karl Bloodblade paused for a moment, then felt a wave of embarrassment. He lowered his head, his voice slightly hoarse: "Thank you for saving me."
Titus raised his eyebrows slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You're welcome, it's what we should do." His tone carried a hint of teasing, as if implying Karl's reckless behavior this time.
Karl's face flushed slightly; he knew his impulsive act had nearly led to disaster. He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the three men before finally settling on Titus's face: "Vickers Blackblade... how is he?"
Titus's smile vanished, his eyes hardening. "He's dead. Your battle axe struck his shoulder, and his ghostly blade pierced your chest. The battle nearly ended in mutual destruction. However, your men arrived in time to save you. As for Vickers… his body has already been taken by the Dark Eldar."
Carl was silent for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He recalled his battle with Vickers, the fierce, evenly matched clash, the moments that hung in the balance between life and death. He murmured to himself, "He was a formidable opponent..."
Celestine sighed softly, walked to Karl's bedside, and placed her hand on his shoulder: "Blessed by the Emperor, you are still alive. Your courage is commendable, but arrogance and recklessness will only endanger you and your chapter. Next time, please be more careful."
Carl nodded without refuting. He knew Celestine was right; this battle had cost him dearly and made him realize his shortcomings.
Russell finally spoke, his voice low and cold: "The battle is not over yet. The Dark Eldar's stronghold has not been destroyed, and their main force is still on its way. We need you to recover as soon as possible and rejoin the battle."
Karl raised his head, his eyes rekindling with fighting spirit: "I will. Give me some time, and I will be back on the battlefield."
Titus nodded, then turned and walked toward the door: "Get some rest, Karl. The Dark Eldar won't give us much time."
Russell and Celestine followed Titus out of the medical room, leaving Carl alone on the bed. He closed his eyes, the sounds of battle and Vickers Blackblade's final blow echoing in his mind. He also thought about the conflict with Titus and Russell, and only then did he realize that he had indeed been a bit arrogant before.
“The price of arrogance…” Karl murmured, then clenched his fist. “Next time, I won’t make the same mistake again.”
He took a deep breath, feeling his strength gradually returning. He knew the battle was still ongoing, and he had to return to the battlefield as soon as possible.
Russell couldn't help but laugh as soon as he stepped out of the medical room, saying, "I almost couldn't hold it in inside; it would have been embarrassing if I had laughed out loud."
Titus smiled and said, "This time, perhaps Karl Bloodblade will learn a lesson, but don't have too high hopes. Old habits die hard."
Russell expressed his admiration.
“No matter what, as long as he can fight against the Dark Eldar with us, that’s fine!” Celestine said.
…………
The atmosphere at the outpost instantly tensed when the Wolf Pack warriors arrived. Their arrival was like a whirlwind, carrying with it a wild aura and harsh battle cries. Leading them was a burly warrior, his power armor scarred by battle, his shoulder armor emblazoned with the Wolf Pack insignia, and a flowing red mane of fur billowing behind him. He was Eric "Redmane," a legendary warrior of the Wolf Pack, renowned for his ferocity and bravery.
Eric strode into the command room, followed by several Wolf Pack soldiers. Their eyes were filled with disdain and provocation, especially when Eric saw Titus, a mocking smile appeared on his lips.
"Oh, look who this is?" Eric's voice boomed like thunder, filled with sarcasm. "Tetus, the 'elite' captain of Deathwatch. You guys hiding in the shadows, finally decided to show yourselves?"
Titus's face instantly turned cold, and his hand unconsciously tightened its grip on the slug, but quickly loosened it. He coldly replied, "Eric, this is a battlefield, not your Wolf Pack's tavern. If you don't have anything important to do, please leave."
Eric laughed heartily, his laughter filled with disdain: "Serious business? Of course we have serious business! We're here to provide support, but it seems you don't need our help."
Russell stood to the side, his brow slightly furrowed. Although he was displeased with Eric's rude behavior, he didn't show it. He knew the Wolf Pack warriors were always like this, especially towards Space Marines; they always harbored a strange hostility towards them.
Celestine stood beside Russell, a hint of wariness in her eyes. She said softly, "Eric, we appreciate your support. But the situation is very tense right now; we need to unite, not fight amongst ourselves."
Eric glanced at Celestine, his smile widening. "Sister, you're right. We should indeed stand together, but..." He turned to Titus, "...some people don't seem to think so."
Titus's face darkened further, but he didn't react. He knew that arguing with Eric would only worsen the situation. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his tone: "Eric, if you really want to help, then follow orders. We have a common enemy, not each other."
Eric shrugged, clearly unconvinced by Titus's words. His gaze shifted to Russell, his expression softening slightly: "A Kashejin warrior, who are you?"
“My name is Russell, a Kashejin warrior!” Russell replied.
Eric smiled and patted Russell on the shoulder: "You look good. We'll be old friends from now on. Unlike some people who always act so superior."
Titus clenched his fist again, but he still didn't lash out. He knew that Eric's provocation was just to provoke him, and he couldn't fall for it.
Seeing this, Celestine quickly interjected, "Eric, we have a plan that requires your cooperation. The main force of the Dark Eldar is gathering, and we must act as soon as possible."
Eric nodded. Although he looked down on Titus, he was relatively friendly to Celestine and Russell: "Alright, Sister, tell me, how should we cooperate?"
The four began discussing their next course of action, but the atmosphere remained tense. Eric occasionally made sarcastic remarks to Titus, while Titus tried to remain calm and avoid a direct confrontation. Russell and Celestine attempted to mediate and try to get the conversation back on track.
However, the meeting ultimately ended in discord. Eric questioned Titus's command, arguing that the Wolf Pack should operate independently rather than following the orders of the Deathwatch. Titus, on the other hand, insisted that only unified command could ensure victory.
"You guys hiding in the shadows have no idea what real combat is!" Eric roared finally, then led his soldiers out of the command room.
Titus watched Eric's retreating figure, a flash of anger crossing his eyes, but he remained silent. He knew the battle was far from over, and internal conflicts would only give the enemy an opportunity to exploit.
Russell walked over to Titus and whispered, "Don't mind him, that's how the Wolf Pack is. His rudeness is just a facade; he's actually a reliable fighter."
Titus nodded and took a deep breath: "I know. But we don't have time to waste on infighting. The Dark Eldar won't give us much time."
Celestine also came over and said softly, "We need to act quickly. Whether Eric is willing to cooperate or not, we must complete our mission."
Titus's gaze hardened: "Yes, for the Emperor, we must win."
The three plunged back into a tense tactical discussion, while on the battlefield outside, the Wolf Pack warriors had already begun their operations. Despite lingering internal conflicts, they all knew that the true enemy was the Dark Eldar. Only by uniting could they survive this brutal battle.