Darksiders: War in the 40th Millennium

The hive's iron depths stretched beneath a sky fractured by crimson rifts, its corridors a jagged labyrinth of rusted steel and blood-slick stone trembling under the Warp storm's fading snarl. War led the descent, Chaoseater a blazing weight in his grip its blade shimmered with a dull menace under the flickering lumen-strips, streaked with daemon ichor that dripped in slow, glistening trails, pooling beneath his boots in a dark mirror of red and ash. The air pulsed thick and suffocating, a rancid brew of molten steel, fresh blood, and the acrid tang of warpfire that seared his throat his crimson cloak hung heavy, sodden with gore, swaying in the damp gusts that swept through the hive, its frayed edges brushing the floor with a wet rasp.

Death shadowed him, a skeletal specter in black armor bones rattled faintly on his frame, Harvester's twin scythes slung across his back, their edges glinting with a cold, lethal sheen that caught the braziers' dying glow his mask shone pale, eye slits glowing faintly, casting a chill that cut through the chamber's oppressive heat. Strife matched their pace, white armor streaked with blood and soot Mercy and Redemption rested in his hands, barrels warm, his grin a wild spark as he spun one pistol with a flourish his vox rang, "Blood's flowing my kinda party!" Fury prowled at their flank, her whip Scorn coiled at her hip her blades gleamed, crimson hair whipping wild, a fiery banner against the shadows her snarl rumbled low, a thunderous echo off the iron walls.

Brother-Captain Aelius limped beside them, ceramite boots grinding the debris his blue armor bore deep scars, blood seeping from cracked plates his vox crackled faintly, "The hive's alive something stirs below." Commander Theron marched with his Ultramarines, ten in gleaming blue ceramite his power fist crackled, storm bolter slung across his chest, red lenses glowing like embers under his crested helm his vox rumbled, "We strike the heart Chaos rises, we crush it." Inquisitor Veyra Thalor trailed, her black leather coat patched with burns her rebreather mask hissed, bolt pistol gleaming her lone psyker trembled, eyes darting with dread, the air rippling with a bitter tang.

A rumble swelled a deep, guttural roar that shook the iron walls, claws scraping steel Theron's vox snapped, "Brace contact!" the tunnel split a tide of crimson erupted Word Bearers in scarred ceramite, their chants a guttural hymn "Blood for the Blood God!" Berzerkers surged, chainaxes howling mutants followed, flesh warped with rage-marks, claws dripping blood the air thickened with the coppery stench of slaughter, a red haze swirling.

War charged Chaoseater swung, a thunderous arc cleaving a Berzerker's skull blood fountained in a steaming cascade, splashing hot against his boots his Chaos form surged eyes blazed crimson Death danced Harvester reaped, chainaxes clattering Strife fired Mercy and Redemption barked, rounds bursting skulls Fury's whip cracked Scorn snapped a mutant's spine Aelius slashed Theron's fist smashed the tide roared, relentless a Khorne Berzerker bellowed "Skulls for the Skull Throne!" its chainaxe swung War parried, steel screaming sparks rained like dying stars.

A shadow loomed a Bloodthirster erupted its crimson hide rippled with muscle, wings tattered and veined its axe blazed, a slab of blackened steel dripping blood horns curled from its skull, eyes blazing with bloodlust its roar thundered "Horsemen… your skulls are mine!" warpfire lashed War dodged, heat searing Death slashed Strife fired Fury leapt Scorn cracked Chaoseater carved ichor sprayed the beast roared "Blood eternal!" its axe flared War met it steel clashed, jarring his bones Death's scythes tore Strife's rounds burst Fury's blades slashed it shrieked, staggering the hive quaked, iron bending.

A vision struck sharp, searing the spire blurred Death's chamber flared three stone faces shattered red haze pulsed purple tendrils coiled a horned figure loomed "Horsemen… blood… binds…" Khorne's laugh shook War reeled the spire snapped back Death's rasp cut "Khorne's grip?"

War growled "They're caged the gods united." The Bloodthirster fell ash rained the hive stilled War's Chaos faded Death steadied Strife grinned Fury snarled Theron approached "You broke it join us, or carve your path."

War gripped Chaoseater his growl rumbled "The hunt's ours we'll see." The hive's depths pulsed their dominion grew.