Mordecai: Kutuzov's east flank collapses

Following on from the assault in the south, the chaos forces on Mordecai struck again in mid 08.020M42. Having secured the Sathugar mines, they now faces significant defences on Kutuzov's southern flank. In order to continue the advance, the Emerald Serpent led by Ahriman himself disguised a number of troop movements to the eastern front of Kutuzov's lines. Here, away from the strategically vital locations near the lava fields near the equator, the imperial defence was more thinly spread, defended by screening patrols with the Imperial Fists acting as a rapid reaction force in case any offensive should come from this quarter. The Emerald Serpent intended to take a swathe of territory in the east, which while having no strategic value in itself, would force general Kutuzov to divert forces away from the vital southern front, or risk his headquarters at Fort Vengeance being outflanked.

The chaos assault started well, as the Emerald Serpent made swift gains, but the Imperial Fists put into action a well drilled counter offensive in order to block this move, surround the attacking forces then reduce them peicemeal. Ahriman saw the threat as the astartes took key objectives in this counter assault. Unless he acted personally and immediately, the chaos offensive would collapse and his plans would be undone.

Ahriman and his trusted exalted sorcerer travelled to the heart of the fighting. By this stage the Imperial Fists were in control and the chaos assault had stalled. Making himself as visible to his troops as possible, Ahriman personally took the lead, cast psychic spells to propel him into battle with a squad of Primaris marines, and cut down his enemies with a mix of tzeentch sorcery and his own will. Meanwhile, his sorcerer comrade was equally valiant, using his own mastery of the warp to materialise next to a squad of bikes that held a vital flank, charging them with aplomb and cutting them apart with his martial skill.

Seeing the acts of the two sorcerers of Tzeentch, the forces of chaos rallied, and the Imperial Fists knew their plan to envelop the attacking enemy forces had been undone by the timely intervention of two heretics. The astartes withdrew, ordering the rest of Kutuzov's eastern front to retreat to a more defensive line. Ahriman smiled, knowing that Tzeentch himself has been with him on the battlefield in order to change fate itself.