Drukhari raid I

Vulkan is going around the battlefield smashing the heads of Kabalite Warriors with his immense strength. They were not ready for a Primarch at all. For the Drukhari this was supposed to be like going to a supermarket, taking as much as their bags could carry, throwing everything else on the ground and not paying at the end. 

The Drukhari realised that this was not your usual Mon'keih but a deadly murder machine that they had to focus most of their attention on. This in turn was good for Nubix who could focus on taking out strays and deal with far fewer Eldar warriors than he might have to if they took him seriously. Nubix had the mentality of a perfect warrior now, with the unyielding willpower to tackle any challenge no matter how impossible. And fighting against Drukhari in his first-ever battle in this life was as impossible as it got. Their physiques, intellects and technology were just so far above anything he had, that it was ridiculous. 

And yet, he hadn't stopped and instead was running towards the battle. He was a warrior now and nothing but his complete and utter decimation would change that. Another brilliant part of the Essence was that he gained the insight to read the flow of battle, deduce the steps to victory/success, and discern the opponents' powers, skills, and abilities. This is not limited to just their strengths but also their weaknesses. It was for that reason that he managed to know the weakness of the Kabalite armour and use the Kabalite Warrior's arrogance against him as well as his own regenerative powers. 

Each time he goes through a cycle of injury and regeneration, he gains an overall boost in all physical attributes, energy capacity and output. The energy in this universe could only mean one thing ... the Warp. That's right, the moment he consumed the Essence, he had gained the ability to use the Warp, even if at its weakest stage. 

The fact that he grew over time, coupled with his limitless potential, meant that Nubix would either die or become the strongest. It just took time, blood, sweat and a whole lot of pain. 

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Nubix raises his Splinter Rifle at a Drukhari that is about to attack Vulkan from the left and fires. His aim is bad though and he misses, warning the Kabalite Warrior of his presence. Nubix doesn't curse though and simply fires again and again. 

*Pew Pew Pew*

The Kabalite Warrior dodges to the side and uses his immense speed to throw off Nubix's aim. Then he raises his own Splinter Rifle and shoots back. Nubix's senses go haywire and he throws himself on the ground as fast as he can. 

*Feeoom*

The shot flies over his head. He doesn't have any time to take a breather as he suddenly feels another attack coming. His position is terrible though. He pushes himself off and rolls to the side. 

*Shing*

A large gash appears on the ground next to him. Standing in front of him is a female Drukhari holding a strange sword in her hands called a Razorflail.

[Picture]

Nubix recognises this woman. She is one of the deadly Drukhari Wych's.

The Wych Cults or Hekatarii of Commorragh are second in prestige in Drukhari society only to the Kabals that sponsor them. The Drukhari thrive upon expert displays of bloodletting, and in the pursuit of murder, the Wyches are talented Aeldari indeed.

All Wyches are skilled knife-fighters who can kill a foe many times their size with the smallest of blades. 

Nubix observes the woman and watches for any sort of movement. His mind already working and telling him the details he has to know. The path to victory is filled with one thing. Pain ... that's what's coming. 

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*Swing Shing Slash Woosh*

The Wych suddenly moves. Using her short knife in one of her hands instead of her Razorflail in the other, she flashes towards Nubix and cuts him all over his body. Using his reflexes, Nubix manages to doge the very first strike and then block using the Splinter Rifle at the second attack, but that's it. He is not strong or fast enough to block or dodge any more strikes and is cut all over. 

She cuts him on his arms, legs, stomach, chest, and throat and then even stabs him, drawing a lot of blood. Nubix ignores the pain running through his entire body, continues following his intuition and desperately tries to dodge instinctively. But the damage continues to pile up and as it does, he loses more and more of his ability to move. 

*Swish swish*

Timing it just right, Nubix suddenly feels a stab incoming. He overrules his body's instinct to move out of the way since he realises that it would be useless and allows it to happen. 

*Stab*

The Wyche's knife stabs deep into his side. Blood drips out and instead of doing it quickly, she slowly pushes it in.

*Kschhht*

Nubix suddenly grabs her arm and pulls her closer, causing the knife to be pushed deeper inside of him. The Wyche is taken aback at this move and wasn't expecting it to happen. That is her mistake, Nubix ignoring all of his body, snapps forward. His mouth open, his teeth bared he shoots towards the neck of the Wyche which is open and bites down hard ...

*BAM*

A punch hits Nubix on the head, in the absolute last moment before his teeth touch her skin. Nubix falls to the ground. Another Wyche has arrived and saved her brethren. Not because they are friends, it doesn't work like that. But because on the battlefield their rivalries are set aside for victory. The second Wyche starts to berate the first one for her recklessness and the fact that she had to save her from such a weak creature. 

Nubix meanwhile slowly pushes his body back up. He is bleeding all over, but the wounds are healing. As he finally stands again, the two Drukhari Wyches look at him and then grin. The fact that he can heal only increases their pleasure and the pain they can inflict on him. Which is exactly what they will do. 

*Swish Swish Swish Swish*

They both jump into action. They flip and pirouette around Nubix, slicing open his throat here and piercing an organ there. The Wyches flow through the elegant steps of battle, expressions of disdain twisting into savage smiles as they psychically feed upon each fresh scream of agony and pain.

But something is not right, they realise. Their 'prey' this time ... doesn't scream. Nubix despite all the pain he is going through and all the beating he has had to take today, has not cried out or screamed in pain once. One of them takes her Razorflail and begins to slash it across Nubix. 

After a few minutes of torturing him like this, they finally decide that it has gone on for long enough. The one with the Razorflail suddenly swings it in earnest and slashes a large wound across Nubix's stomach, causing his innards to spill out. 

*SCHWING*

*Spluurt*

The second one then suddenly appears before him and uses two knives to pierce his heart and lung and uses her strength to push him into the air, like a prize to be shown off. 

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On the other side of the battlefield, Vulkan is still running through the Drukhari and destroying them. His speed bellies his giant stature and his strength is beyond anything the Dark Eldar have to offer. Their armour is useless against his perfectly aimed and timed strikes and he dodges all their shots aimed at him. 

A sudden realisation hits the giant though and he looks back to his brother Nubix to see how he is doing. He has caught his friend in a very bad time though and witnesses as the Wyche pierces his heart and lung and then pushes him above her head in a show of dominance and victory. Vulkan suddenly feels the pain of losing his brother. 

"NUBIX NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

As the Primarch tries to rush towards his brother, a powerful explosion interrupts the battle going on on the ground and cuts off his plans. 

*BOOOOOM BOOOOOM*

Without warning, the Splinter Raid arrives.

Normally the Splinter Raid is the very first wave, comprised of a single Archon and his bodyguard of Kabalite Trueborn on a Raider, 2 Reaver Jetbike squads and 3 other squads of Raiders attack the foe from out of the sky after emerging from a Webway portal, pinning the enemy troop that presents the gravest threat.

[Picture]

The shots they fired from their Raiders and Jetbikes explode in front of Vulkan and he is forced to concentrate on the task at hand. The two Wyche's however are also looking at the scene and smile cruelly. That is the moment that Nubix waited for. 

In a show of inhuman strength, his arms suddenly come to life. He grabs his own intestines and wraps them around the Wyche's neck. One time, two times and then a third time, he does that and starts to pull. If the Drukhari was wearing armour or a helmet it wouldn't have been possible. Her strength and the armour would protect her, but this is different. Nubix pulls as hard as he can, the two knives still stuck in his chest. 

Before the Wyche can react, he uses his knee to impact it with her face, disorienting her and stopping her from holding on to him this way. Her arms move instinctively to protect her and he falls down, right on top of her and starts to pull even harder. A fierce struggle for survival ensues and the second Wyche is woken up from her stupor by the arrival of the Archon and the Scourges.

The second Wyche swings her Razorflail towards Nubix, trying to get him off of the other. The weapon extends and is about to cut his neck, when he presses his body harder on the Wyche whom he is trying to suffocate. He grabs the intestine with his teeth and pulls as hard as he can. His hands now free, grab the Splinter Rifle he dropped and aims it in the general direction of the second Wyche. 

*Pew Pew Pew*

The shots stop the Wyche from rushing forward and force her to defend. More and more, Nubix starts to heal, which gives him more strength, but also closes his own stomach. The contraction of the act, ironically makes his intestines contract on their own, quickening the suffocation of the Drukhari underneath him. But the Wyche is not helpless at all. She starts to stab wildly at Nubix in an attempt to stop him from moving and finally killing him. 

*Stab slash stab stab*

More wounds open up on Nubix's body and gore spills out again. But the movement of the Wyche finally slows down more and more, while his shots grow more precise, even if it feels like a snail's pace. 

*Pew Pew Pew* x35

*BOM BOM BOM*

Many shots are fired from the sky without warning and hit Nubix as well as the Wyche who is lying underneath him, fighting for her life. Nubix's body is riddled with burning holes as the salve penetrates all of his body and turns him into a sieve. 

"Sreeee"

*Thud*

Dropping from the sky are three Scourges. Clad in a form of porous body armour called Ghostplate, they descend from above, shrieking with sheer exhilaration as they ruthlessly scythe down and kill Nubix. 

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A Scourge is a genetically altered Drukhari mercenary who has had wings grafted onto their body and who now serves essentially as jump infantry in Drukhari raid forces.

If one were to trespass amongst the jutting spires of High Commorragh, one might just make out the winged figures soaring upon the hot thermals of the Dark City. If one looked carefully, these figures would be recognised as the Scourges, genetically and surgically altered avian Drukhari who have been refashioned into something far more deadly.

Scourges are an intrinsic part of the society of Commorragh. The omnipresent intrigues of the Dark City thrive on information, without which even the greatest of the Kabals is soon rendered impotent.

The most secure forms of vox transmission can always be intercepted and psychic communication is strictly forbidden to the Drukhari. Instead, the Drukhari aristocracy pays handsomely for the Scourges to take their missives to their destination by hand. Each communique is sealed with tailor-made toxins, the antidotes to which - usually - are only held by the recipient. The Scourges are so vital to the intrigues of the Dark City that to kill one is to invite a very painful death by his or her fellows.

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It itches my finger to finally have him grow stronger and really compete with the Drukhari, but that is just not logical and I hope you understand. Soon though ... soon.