Small story which the art illustrates:
His wasn’t supposed to happen for the Blightstars to now be locked in a small-scale conflict with their former allies, the Rust Corps. All from a single, stray shell. The Blightstars, in their attempt to soften the Imperial forces, had deployed plagueburst crawlers to fire artillery upon the loyalist lines. How could they have known that the manic beast known as Ferrinox was running rampant on the front lines or that one of the many shots fired from their mortars would strike upon his position? Whilst relatively unscathed from the detonation, the hit angered the raving machine who promptly began to slaughter the brothers of the Blightstars. Not even blessed Grandfather’s gifts could help them survive when faced with the armaments of this rampaging beast. Many of the Iron warriors of the Rust Corps join in with the daemonic Ferrinox without hesitation, turning their weapons upon their former allies. The infighting gave the loyalist forces the time they needed to withdraw from the battle field.
The tide of Iron crashed upon the Children of Grandfather Nurgle. For a time, it seemed that the Blightstars would be eradicated. However, hope came in the form of their most blessed and praised kin. Morbus Interitus, who through his devotion was reshaped and graced with a thousand gifts from the Garden of Nurgle. “I shall hold this mindless automata while you collect yourselves, brothers!” The voice came through as a deep rumble like the aftershock of an explosion. Morbus stood his ground as the earth around began to warp in his mere presence. Noxus fumes and fungal death heads grew from the ground as life withered, died, and regrew in seconds at his feet. The beast Ferrinox, drawn by this new threat, fell upon the Champion like a storm of steel. Within microseconds, the metal abomination slammed into Morbus.
Black smog and decaying biomatter erupted from the impact shrouding both monsters. There was a lull in the fighting as both sides waited to see what had become of their champions. Moments passed. Then the cloud swirled as Ferriox was thrown clear, landing and obliterating a trio of Iron Warriors. The abomination howled with fury as he pulled himself from the ground.
“Be blessed, creature, for thou shalt bare witness to the gifts of Grandfather Nurgle,” said a deep, gurgling voice as Morbus strode from the cloud.
“I will rend you apart!” roared the enraged machine, it’s voice a distorted shriek in stark contrast. Ferrinox ripped an unfortunate legionary of the Rust Corps from the ground and heaved him at prince of Nurgle, who effortlessly sliced the marine in twain with his ancient scythe.A wet, bemused chuckle rumbled from deep within his chest. Ferrinox crouched low like a predatory creature and propelled himself forth under the power of jagged thrusters. Claw met scythe, daemonic energies superheating the very air itself in a maelstrom of unabated malice. Caustic fumes ate the daemonic automata, a hailstorm of bullets shredded morbus’ armour, sending chunks of putrid flesh into the air. And yet, neither side seemed to gain any advantage over the other. Ferrinox was naught but a blur, his offensive a sight to behold. Yet Morbus was blessed with a near undying resilience, letting the Prince weather the storm.
Ferrinox manage to plunge his twisted claw into the belly of Morbus, who gave a unsettling bellowing laugh as his many tendrils began to wrap around the wicked Machine. The Beast of the Rust Corps screamed in rage as he slammed his cannon on the daemon prince’s face over and over, attempting to weaken his grasp. “DIE! DIE! DIE!” howled the machine. In a last desperate attempt to free himself, Ferrinox planted his feet into the ground. The deamon prince of the Rust Corps heaved his foe into the air, embracing him in his crushing grip. A beat. Then, a Sinister Red glow began to burn from Ferrinox’s core.
“Fall back, fall back!” was shouted from the many voices of the Iron warriors still left as they began to desperately scramble away. And then, burning with the fury of a dying star, a beam of pure red energy erupted from Ferriox, engulfing he and his foe…
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