The Twins

Of the Twins, Longstrike and Broadfist, little is known of their lives before they became entombed as dreadnoughts. They were recruited into the ranks of the Space Marines after defending their village from a daemonic horde. With Bow and Hammer they slaughtered the daemons that threatened to overrun their home. They always fight together, for the Emperor and their Brothers.

***

Chapter Master Brishu stepped down from the landing Landspeeder. Sensing Orima's presence ahead, he nodded toward his pilot.

"Wait here, marine."

"Yes, my Lord." he answered.

The terrain was rocky, and uneven, what vegetation there was, was stunted and dying.

"This way, Brishu." Orima said.

"I'm here." Brishu replied. "What lesson am I learning today, my friend?"

"Courage, Tactics, and Leadership." Orima said.

"That is what you say every morning."

Orima chuckled, "Until the lesson changes, I will keep saying it."

Orima turned northward, "What do you see before us?"

"Nothing, I'm blind. My Psychic senses however detect a ravine, with something... powerful at the bottom."

"It is the daemon, Nhabahero. He has been in this ravine for 300 years. He kills all who enter." Orima said.

Brishu turned about. "What of the surrounding villages? How many casualties there?"

"None, he does not leave the ravine. He has claimed it, and will not be moved." Orima intoned.

"So my task today is.."

"You must reach the other end of the ravine alive."

***

Brishu walked forward, carefully considering Orima's instructions.

"You must go alone, your pilot may not assist you. Your Bolter, your Powers, you may use whatever personal means necessary to reach the other side."

Brishu peered cautiously into the mouth of the ravine...

Then walked around it to the other side.

***

Orima stepped from the bushes at Brishu's side.

"That is a sign of improvement. A month ago you would have charged in for Glory."

Brishu sighed, "Glory is a trap, set by our minds. We have a mission, that is all that matters."

Brishu activated his comm unit.

"Captain Apanoj, how much time will you need to drop an orbital strike on the coordinates I am sending you now?"

A crackling voice replied, " 1 hour, 3 minutes, My Lord. Shall I mobilize the fighters as well?"

Brishu said, "Not necessary, it is a stationary target. And Captain... execute Order Number 2, Double Strike, just to be s...What is it, Orima?"

Orima pointed to the horizon. "Northeast is Bequ Village. There is smoke rising... a lot of smoke."

Brishu keyed his comm, "Pilot, bring the Speeder to my location immediately." "Orima, there isn't enough room to carry you as well."

Orima turned and began to walk away. "If you can see smoke, it is already too late. I will go warn the other villages, though it is rare for the Daemons to strike twice."

***

All was quiet when they landed at Bequ Village. Brishu sensed trace amounts of Warp energy, signs of a rapid departure.

"Stay here pilot, we may need to leave in a hurry."

"As you command, My Lord."

Brishu walked among the ruined buildings, most on fire, the bodies of villagers strewn everywhere. What tracks there were showed daemons appearing from nowhere, slaying, and disappearing just as quickly. The tracks of the villagers were fleeing in random directions, panicked, and agonizingly short.

Except... two sets of tracks, leading in a straight line to the center of the village. They almost made it to the stone well, but were cut off. They had stood back to back, in defiance, and were cut down almost instantly, blood still flowed from their mortal wounds.

A boy and a girl... no more than 7 years of age. While the rest of the village ran in terror, they stood firm against... nightmares.

"They knew no fear."

Brishu activated his comm. "Techmarine Roufil, I need two sarcophagi at Bequ Village, now."

"Are you injured My Lord?! I shall send a squad at once." Roufil said.

"Negative, Roufil. The battle is over, but I have two warriors down."