Searching for weapons he located a Splinter rifle that lay on the ground besides one of his warriors. Picking the weapon in his hands, he inspected it for damage, verifying the electro-magnetic accelerators and ammunition reserve. His head spun as pulled himself onto his feet. Ignoring the vertigo and the pounding at his temples, he bent to collect several splinter ammunition cores that lay scattered at his feet. Close by smoke emerged from the muzzle of his Raider's Dark Lance, the weapon's effects visible on a nearby human Armoured Personnel Carrier that burned like a torch.
Keeping communication silence Caradrith was satisfied to see he still had his pistol, plasma grenades and power weapon at hand. Using the faint locator beacon coming from a nearby source he began strolling across the field and into the cover of some spiny trees that marked the start of the nearby forest. Moving through the undergrowth and bushes the Eldar male, shook away any feelings of fear and sorrow for his dead companions. What mattered was survival, what mattered was returning to his Kabal and kin. Continuing his trek on foot, soon he realized the trees were becoming more distant from each other, taking away the cover he had to rely on to advance undetected.
Stopping besides a rock, dipping down to one knee he zoomed in using his helmet's visual sensors, locking on a couple of faint heat signatures. Powering up his noise amplifiers he heard the crude language of the Imperium, the voices of several individuals and the pattern of emotions in their voices. Hunger awoke in him but he restrained himself from an all out attack. The voices were full of fear and concern, some were sad. Despite the louder talk of one of the other humans, who tried his best to encourage his small group there was no hope. Licking his own lips the Sybarite could nearly smell the frightened souls, ripe for the taking.
He crawled slowly across the forest floor he approached their position, keeping away from the light radius emitted by the small campfire the humans had built. Like a predator in ambush he waited, his senses alert. Settling the splinter rifle on his back, Caradrith secured it's strap, his hand moving to press a small activation gemstone. Twin serrated blades emerged from their wrist mount, their double edges dripping a transparent liquid.
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One of the guardsmen slowly strolled away from his group, unarmed, unaware of the presence awaiting in the dark. Leaving his fellows to continue their tale he stopped by a tree, instinctively looking around as if not to be seen and prepared to beckon nature's call. Puffing his cigarette he stared in the dark of the forest, perhaps content they were alone out there or so he thought. A sharp pain suddenly filled him as something scratched the back of his neck, his helmet flying onto the ground. He felt unable to scream but as he moved his hand to inspect the wound he saw his own blood covering his hands. Numbness filled his body and soon his legs gave up, unable to support his weight. Dropped onto his side the man looked up only to see a dark armored humanoid standing besides him.
Raising a finger toward his lips this figure smiled cruelly at him "Shhhhhh it will all be over soon, don't cry, there is no need, your eyes speak enough....". The Eldar gripped the man's collar drawing him away in total silence into a small bush covered area. Tossing his silent prey onto the forest floor Caradrith took in a deep breath, overcome by the emotions of the frightened human. Using the tip of a single blade he tore off the man's flak vest, raising an eyebrow. The human stared him in the eyes full of so much hatred and fear they had become sweet sweet morsels to him. Scratching along the exposed skin of the human he drew a rune of Khaine.
Overcome by pain Guardsman Quinn looked at the Xeno, trying to move his arms and legs but he was paralyzed. Despite his condition every single second was filled with excruciating pain that made him think of the Emperor, asking for protection in his mind as he was unable to speak. He could see he alien using his bladed wrist weapon literally carving his skin, tearing it off and relishing in the pain he inflicted. Soon the alien's hand drew away, the tips of the twin blades stopped just half an inch away from his eyes, then it ALL went black.
Sergeant Aislinn drawn by the cries of the private closed in on the bushes and his face went pale in shock. Guardsman Quinn lay dead, mangled and tortured, his eyes gone, his mouth wide open, the fear and anguish obvious on his face. Cursing under his breath he turned toward the Squad's medic, "There's nothing we can do for him now, his soul is hopefully with the Emperor but we're not alone anymore. Set up double watch at the campsite and keep your eyes open, there's someone or something here with us."
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Having withdrawn to a nearby hidden cave Caradrith, smiled as he set his helmet and weapons aside. Pulling out a small data device he tapped the gemstone, loading a holographic map of the planet, flanked by Eldar ideograms. Tapping one of the symbols he finally saw that he was within several miles of at least three human rural settlements and ten of a larger town. These Guardsmen must have been a local planetary defense unit. The device he carried had information on the entire sector thus it would be useful to him for orientation until he could find a way to return to the Webway. Shutting it down he inspected his rations and discovered he had enough rations for a couple of days, thus soon he would be forced to hunt. The planet had apparently a rich ecosystem thus food should not be a problem. Finally he could rest, yet he was alone.
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