Editing Grimdark Tarzan (section)

== Chapter 7 ==
What set out in the morning was every single combat asset that could be spared. Upon learning that the Greystoke might very well be in their grasp, the techpriests had committed everything that they could: combat servitors armed with heavy bolters and repurposed mining tools were marshaled by techpriests, a few squads of stormtroopers that the Inquisitor had kept in reserve, and of course the sisters of battle, armed with sacred shell and flame.
The reason for this battlegroup was twofold. The first was that they were going to be traversing a large stretch of jungle that was unknown to everyone but Tarzan, the second was that according to the deathworlder, the sacred artifact was in the territory of the Lepris. Originally, it had been in neutral ground, but in recent years, the beastmen had become bolder and more warlike, and had taken over the area by force, claiming to be its "protectors".

Tarzan remained ahead of the column, scouting the way, and dealing with the occasional Lepris as they edged closer and closer to their territory. However, both he and everyone else knew that it would soon be impossible to hide their approach. As soon as they were deep enough for their enemy to be running actual reconnaissance, their presence would be known and reported.

Hacking away a particularly hardy piece of shrubbery, Janna turned to the man who was leading them. "This... temple. Have you ever been inside it? Do you know what we might expect?"

He shook his head, "Temple long time forbidden to enter. Found spear metal far away; wreckage. Just know one thing. Be prepared for many Lepris. Many manys will be there"

With a grim nod, she continued to press onward. With the advanced technology that the Imperials possessed, they should not be in any danger, but she could not help shake the feeling that something was wrong.

It did not take them long to run into the first real patrols. A shout from the treetops was their only warning before four of the feline xenos burst from hiding. The first was caught by a servitor, who crushed it between a huge metallic pincer before throwing the body away like a ragdoll, but two others sprang on its back, clawing and stabbing at exposed flesh, while the last grappled with a stormtrooper. A light wash of cleansing fire quickly dissuaded the ones on the servitor's back from remaining where they were, but as they tried to move, they were cut down in a hail of hellgun fire, while the remaining Lepris misjudged a feint and was skewered. It was a quick and bloody affair, but it reminded the Imperials of where they were.

"If this is all the savages can muster, then we needn't have brought this whole force at all" Inquisitor Callen remarked with a smirk, but few others shared his conviction. There was a dark feeling in the air, and none could shake it.

They suffered three more ambushes before Tarzan had judged an area safe enough to rest in. From the first day of march, they had a single casualty, a servitor. Overwhelmed by enemies, it had leaked fluid after an encounter, gradually slowing as its artificial lifeblood continued to seep out. The techpriests had eventually decided to scrap it rather than let it continue onward, and now its metallic innards were carried by another.

As they were not yet ready to take Tarzan at his word, Storm Troopers swept the immediate vicinity, looking for any signs of the enemy, or of treachery, but found none. After this, tents were pitched and sentries posted; the techpriests, who needed neither rest nor light of day, had protested, unwilling to delay even for an instant in their pursuit of technology. Cooler heads had eventually prevailed though, and with some small murmurs of discontent, they took up places of watch around camp along with their servitors.

Janna found Tarzan with his back to the camp, staring into the depths of the forest. Without turning around, he asked, "Space. What it like?"

Of course, the promise that they had made.

"Space is... Space is unlike anything you can imagine, I promise you that. The Warp is tenuous,yes, and you are confined into a floating piece of metal, but when you witness the stars in all their glory, and the vast nebulas and planets, you understand why people are willing to give their all for the Imperium. It is enlightening."

Still without looking at her, he spoke again, "The forest. All I know. On other planets, can Tarzan survive? Wonders you speak of, what I to them?"

"I cannot say you will be happy or successful. It is not my place to know. But you will have a chance. I, er, that is, my sisters and I will see to that."

How far they had come. From a chance meeting due to the attack of xenos, to her comforting him about the vastness and strangeness of space. If someone had told her that this would happen before she came to Tublat, she would have accused them of watching too many vids.

He nodded, and somehow, she found herself seated at his side. "With the God Emperor at your side, nothing is impossible. No foe too great, no evil too powerful. And how could he not be at your side? On a planet with no other humans, he led you to me, I mean us", she clarified with a small cough

"Yes" He said, with a tinge of melancholy and hollowness, "I think so too".

She grasped his hand then, and felt his grip tighten. She did not know why, but it felt right.

The night passed without any ambushes, and in the morning they started out again. Several hours passed without them encountering another Lepris, as they had the day before, but rather than put them at ease, they were all on edge. No Lepris would have been a blessing, but they also did not hear any animal, not the sound of insects, nor the chirping of birds. It screamed of a trap, but with the tantalizing prize drawing closer and closer, none could bring themselves to turn back.

Tarzan returned from scouting ahead to report to the Sister- Superior. "We get to artifact soon. Clearing should be up ahead." Nodding crisply, she ordered the news be relayed to the Inquisitor and for everyone to keep on guard. It would not do to fail this close to their prize.

That last warning proved to be unnecessary. Soon after Tarzan had reported, they started to hear chanting. It was an unholy mix of yowls, shouting and other noises of battle. At first, it was barely a whisper, but as they drew closer, it grew in volume exponentially.

"How in the void did we miss that?" swore a stormtrooper before being quieted by one of his fellows. They were all ill at ease without someone bringing it up.

The chanting grew louder and louder. It felt like they were surrounded by the screaming Lepris, but their auspexes confirmed that was not the case. Distinct words could now be made out in the din, but as it was in the beings' strange language, Sister Janna and many others had no idea what they meant. Even Sister Brigitte was not well versed in this particular tongue, despite her months long exchange of information with Tarzan.

The group stopped, and the Inquisitor was brought up the line, along with Magos Archimede and Sister-Superior Portia to confer with Tarzan on what was being said.

They found the deathworlder with his eyes closed, focusing to make out the words despite all the noise.
"It battle cry, but new. Never heard before"

"Wonderful, so even the savage can't understand it", the Inquisitor rolled his eyes at this piece of news.

"Me know words, just not understand meaning" Tarzan explained. He had spent the last ten minutes trying to decipher what the words meant, partially because he had never heard them combined in such a way before, but somehow they still filled him with dread.

"Then tell us what it is, and we'll figure it out! Can't be that bloody hard," Callen grumbled

"They say, they say..." Tarzan paused, not wanting to translate incorrectly.

"Yes?"

"Blood for God of Blood. Skulls for His Seat"