When the first Ulix drones flew over the city, they spotted enemy forces taking cover. They searched, but the enemy had already moved.
"Spread out" barked one Ulix trooper. "And advance."
Small squads began advancing cautiously, stepping over shattered glass and twisted metal. Slowly moving while eyeing the buildings the enemy could possibly jump out from.
Every shadow looked suspicious, every broken door and twitching power line felt like an enemy waiting to ambush. Despite the crumbling city, the city was way too quiet.
Above the squads, drones continued their search, scanning the streets and buildings when a dozen shots flew towards them. Two drones were struck and exploded mid-air, one was grazed and knocked off course.
This attack revealed the location of some enemies and Ulix flocked to the direction rifle raised and ready. The entire avenue was plunged into darkness, they were saved by their own night vision capabilities.
For a second nothing happened as they approached a suspicious building the shots came from. Accompanying them were armoured vehicles with machine rifles bolted on them.
Two grenades flew out of the darkness, one landing on the side of the vehicle the other at the front. The first to blow up was the one at front, this sent the soldiers to duck for cover while the transport shook.
The machine rifle opened fire at the darkness of the building immediately but the second detonation happened forcing the vehicle to topple.
"AMBUSH"
Laser fire erupted instantly as bright streaks of energy cut through the darkness when Voss troopers appeared from the upper levels of the surrounding buildings.
They fired from shattered balconies and broken windows, suppressing the enemy before retreating deeper into the structures. Ulix soldiers returned fire but they sustained severe damage.
Then rockets came hurling at the compromised buildings and detonated sending the building to crumble. Smoke and heat filled the air as debris rained down. Ulix which was being suppressed was able to retreat to safety, they did not need to.
If Voss forces were not killed by those explosions, then they were buried under rubble.
High in the sky, a craft could be heard descending, on the sides were troopers with rocket launchers. Just as the craft was descending towering figures emerged, they were not armoured the same as the soldiers.
Theirs was better, more practical. On their backs were rifles but on their hands were short sword blades. And when they disembark from the ships they descended in great speed and crash landed on their feet with enough force to break bones of a lesser man.
The Iron Guard had arrived. There were currently two of them but even that was enough for these monsters. Their boots were heavy, their presence commanding. Even Ulix troops nearby instinctively stepped aside as if seeing their own heroes.
They walked towards the rubble, smoke everywhere, collapsed vehicles and burning buildings.
Smoke rolled across the shattered avenue. The two Iron Guard figures stood motionless for a moment, their armoured helmets turning slowly as they surveyed the battlefield as the troops rallied around them.
There was too much damage and rubble and because of the blackout, movement detection was difficult but that did not stop Voss forces from emerging from the rubble. Two rose and opened fire towards the Iron Guard.
Laser beams blasted the enemy, few struck Ulix troopers while the two were able to seamlessly dodge the lasers as if time slowed.
Looking ahead, there were five Voss troopers firing at them, they cowered in debris. The guard could not let this stand and blade in hand they began to charge at the enemy.
They dodged the laser bolts zooming towards them, passing through the damaged vehicles and obstacles in their path. When they were close enough, they swung with all their might, the two Voss troopers they caught were cut in half instantly.
Voss witnessing this horror did not stop and tried to shoot them but were unsuccessful. One trooper pulled a grenade, hoping to take himself out along with the guard. Unfortunately, the guard was stronger and faster.
He drove his blade through to the trooper's chest, the tip exiting the other side, before the man could pull the pin.
The trooper dropped the grenade as he died. The guard kicked the body onto it, already turning to face the next enemy as the explosion went off behind him.
It was at that time, when more Voss troopers emerged from the rubble and witnessed the skill of these Ulix troopers. They understood, they were outmatched.
The second guard moved targeting the other buildings. He launched himself with terrifying speed. In one jump he cleared a large distance and landed near the Voss position in time for laser fire to erupt.
Most lasers missed him in his skilled dodging, the ones that got him pushed him back but none penetrated as he continued the offensive. Like a bulldozer, he crashed into the rubble to look for the troops that ran to the dark and hid.
From the rubble across the shattered street, one Voss trooper watched the slaughter unfold. He crouched behind the remains of a collapsed building sign, breathing slowly as he forced himself to stay still.
This fight had steered off course, they were outmatched. These were not normal Ulix soldiers, the speed at which they dodged fire and moved throughout the battlefield.
They were high level and they would mow the rest of the forces. He felt his stomach drop, he dropped his rifle it was useless. Instead he pulled the combat blade from his belt.
Compared to the massive sword mounted on the Iron Guards' gauntlet, it was small but there was no choice. In times like this, melee combat was the answer even if the enemy outclassed him.
"Fall back," he ordered to the ones behind. "Hide and inform command, they sent the Iron Guard."
His squad hesitated.
"Move!" he snapped.
Behind him he heard boots retreating and others informing the comms for others to do the same. Go back and hide among the city and wait for Voss to send reinforcements.
The Iron Guard crashed through a slab of broken concrete and emerged from the dust directly in front of him, his armour dripping with blood. The man of the same height as him felt massive and he paused for a moment when he saw the blade.
The Voss trooper steadied his stance, raised his blade, and began to slowly breathe in the air. He knew himself as a low level Shock Trooper, he was outmatched, the Iron Guard was well known even among House Voss military.
He and the higher level Iron Guard first stared each other down, sizing each other up to see just how to take this fight. The Iron Guard stepped forward, the attack came instantly as a blade swung downward with brute force.
The Voss trooper barely reacted in time with a side swing, steel met steel as the impact rattled through his entire body. He managed to stop the strike but he was forced to slide backwards and pain shot through his arms.
The guard did not seem surprised, instead he returned with a kick. The trooper shot back like a missile but he did regain control and forced himself to his feet. He was disoriented but alert which was good as a side swing came at him.
He bent backwards and drew a side arm as the sword swung just before his eyes. Getting back on his feet, he threw himself back from the guard while opening fire at him. The guard dodged, too fast.
He could barely keep track of him, but every second mattered so while the guard was dodging, he advanced and hoped to land a strike. He reached the guard and swung with an arc, the guard was able to dodge but the trooper did not stop.
He was relentless and pushed through, area sweep, downward slash, diagonal, laser shot, over and over and then dodge and repeat. He was outmatched that was certain but he put up a fight so strong the guard had to admit, it was a challenge.
The Voss trooper stood his ground, he could feel his cracked bones and internal injury. His muscles were trembling, his head burning with pain and his chest huffing.
The battleground was quiet save for the burning vehicles and buildings. The blinking lights added to the horror of the fight showing the Guard as an unnatural being. The Voss trooper gripped his blade tightly when his ears rang and he spun to the right.
Right where he was standing the other guard shot through, his sword pointing and regrouped with the first. Now it was two against one, the trooper knew… it was only a matter of time.
He took a deep breath and lunged forward and swung with a wide sweep, the guards dodged back and returned to retaliate. The trooper met one of their blades and barely dodged the kick of the other.
Before he could shoot, he was met with a strong punch that sent him flying. He did not waste time on the ground and stood up on his knee firing at the two. They dodged and he rose to his feet, he swung with a downward slash at one of the guards. It was blocked and before he could pull back, the second cut his arm off.
The arm dropped holding the blade, the pain was immense but he did not have the luxury to cry and tried to shoot with his other hand. Unfortunately, the other guard stabbed him through his chest and using his other hand struck him sending him to the ground.
He lay on the ground, his vision blurring, losing too much blood as the guards approached his dying body. At least the delay worked and most Voss troops had escaped. He did his job but damn it, he had to die.
The Iron Guards stood before his lifeless body and turned away after confirming his death.