ECHOES OF IMPERIUM

The Paras rode the ashen wind across the fields of Vigrid towards the sunken cities and the holy mountain that had swallowed them. A decade had passed as the colossus had traversed the sand sea and the pilgrims aboard where all but gone now. In her wake the swam through the air, dead and yet not gone for the holy wanderers had been blessed by the cognitor-priest and she had turned their skulls into worthy tools and objects of laudation. The schools of servo-skulls followed their former ship with silence.

He froze as took the helm from the night watch and set course towards the dust cloud on the horizon. It was no mere mirage or illusion no it was clear to the captain that it indeed was an other colossus. A prey or a predator. Either way it would be resolved in blood and not with words.

It was no more than an hour before the two colossi came within range of each other. It was clear that there would be no compromise for both captains sailed under the black colour and would not give ground.

Search and destroy my children, search and destroy. The command was passed through the colossus and men ran to their battle stations.

With roaring thunder the guns spoke in hate and anger. The Paras bled yet she would not fall easily.

Weary Kiros looked upon his crew and silently motioned them forward. He had not spoken since they left the Abbey of Horaxrim and he would not break his oath now.

The two colossi crashed into each other like two lunatic gods. Ancient engines howled and the metal hull bulged under the catastrophic impact yet they held fast and did not break apart. The crews were tossed around like broken dolls and it seemed none would survive the impact.

The engines of the colossi screamed in pain as they tried to force ground until finally the Paras succumbed and rose into the air to avoid the deadly conflict.

The captain of the Brennisteinner was hollow voiced as he offered up an ultimatum to his foe. Submit and live, and share in the spoils of the other dying colossi that fought upon the dried and dead patch of land.

The crews looked upon each other in silence, neither wanting to yield and reach for gun and knife.