The world shook as the war above raged on. Kane walked on as he had been for some time. Baal walked at his side illuminating the way. He knew full well what transpired dozens of meters far above but it mattered little compared to this opportunity.

The muffled sound of multiple explosions could be heard as they hit a dead end. Kane paused as the rock growled and grumbled as it strained to slowly give way. Light shone from the other side as Kane walked into a temple. All around him hissed and slithered gorgons.

There were dozens of them, all jittery and agitated. They fumed with outrage and sorrow as they mourned the loss of their sisters. None were shy about it and all knew the reality of what was happening on the surface. Their sharp eyes blazed with hatred, they glowed like lanterns in the dark. Their whispers echoed through the thick warm air like dreaded curses as Kane ventured ever onwards. He reached another wall that gave way in his wake.

Just beyond he could hear the desperate and unyielding prayers of a weeping gorgon. He entered a massive chamber hundreds of times bigger than himself. Roaring fires lit up the room and filled the air with the mists of burning incense.

He looked up and found admiration for the mighty statue of a crowned gorgon looking down from above. Fifty-fold the size of the ten-foot-long serpents it loomed over the chamber. Its huge emotionless stone face portrayed a stoic deity in her endless watchful vigil over her daughters.

In four neat rows of five twenty gorgons prayed endlessly as they all stared up at the goddess. They were utterly silent save for the unceasing rattle they let off from their vibrating tails. They all held all four of their arms up, reaching out and holding hands with each other. Kane circled around them to find The Crowned One. She laid there before the altar weeping and whispering a prayer. Kane approached her.

"The earth burns. The fire comes for us all. We know what brings you to The Crowned One." She moaned.

Baal grew irritated at her hissing voice as it echoed unnaturally throughout the room as if a hundred souls spoke as one.

"We will drive out the invaders out!" Declared Kane.

The Crowned One cackled in her place.

"You may be one of the true blood's mightiest, Kane but even you shall falter before the oncoming storm. Our eyes see beyond the veil. The stars burn with their power. Their ships travel through the air and the world shall burn before their might." She hissed

"You know why I'm here! What price do you demand!"

A gorgon appeared behind him.

"Your allegiance." She hissed.

Another slithered into the light beside him.

"Your strength." she whispered into his ear.

Another lowered herself from above.

"Your wisdom."

The Crown One turned to him as he froze in thought.

"Ruin and death are upon us. Protect us! We'll need your strength before the end."

"Agreed!"

"Let the incantations commence!" announced The Crowned One.

On the surface, the world grew silent and Thomas sat down counting the dead with Alice at his side. He listened to the endless roar of the rushing wind as his count passed one hundred and seventy. Light casualties by Venusian standards after fighting against the Martians for so long.

With the grasslands, secure and reinforcements on their way, Thomas felt his force was fit to advance. All around him his men gathered their remaining strength, rested and readied themselves to march on the fortress. He turned to Alice.

"How long has it been since operation commencement?" Thomas asked.

"Just over three hours, sir." Alice responded.

Barbarossa approached.

"All are accounted for. It is about time we pushed on to our objective." The Martian declared.

They summoned the troops and advanced through the burnt grassland. The ground shuddered as Wardens marched into line alongside the infantry. A column is formed as the army moves on through the ashen remains of the enemy horde.

High above the cuirassiers circled about in the air with Godfrey at their head. Like carrion birds, they grew ever watchful for any danger. As the United Forces gathered they unfolded their column into a line. They swept over the enemy army's camp and slaughtered any who resisted before closing in on the fortress. Now in its shadow, Thomas called command, ordered a halt and waited as he was patched into the command network.

"Command we have cleared the surrounding wilderness and are holding the main gate to the fortress. Are we clear to proceed?" He reported

"Task Force One you are clear to proceed. Task Force Two will follow you in. Understood Task Force One." They responded.

"Understood Captain. We'll take the fortress. Over and out."

"Understood. Good hunting!"

Thomas turned to his company's comm channel and spoke

"Our objective is to smash and capture. Watch for civilians, they must not be harmed and advance we must take this place." Thomas Ordered.

"Civilians? With so many monsters about? Can there be any?" Barbarossa inquired.

"If they fight they're not civilian." Answered Alice plainly.

Barbarossa snickered in response.

"Valkyrie Squadron. Status?" Demanded Thomas.

"All well and ready Commander." Responded Godfrey as he halted his fighter.

Godfrey watched on as the ground forces approached the fortress. Soon Luke's name appeared as flashing text on the screen. Godfrey tapped on it, opening a private channel.

"Why are we following this Venusian fool?" Asked Luke with a hint of irritation.

"We're strictly a supporting force for this operation. This is a ground offensive." Godfrey answered plainly.

Luke sighed.

"I thought we were gonna see some action but this? It was over so quickly?"

"Heh. You expect a bunch of flying creatures to put up a fight?"

"Ugh, I don't know... maybe I-"

"Requesting airstrike at point-oh-four, oh-three, oh-one. Bring the whole gatehouse down Captain Martelis." Thomas' voice barked through the chatter.

"Understood Commander."

Godfrey cut his Thomas' command channel to focus on flying. A red marker highlighted the gatehouse in Godfrey's specs. He naturally moved into position with his unit following suit.

"Prepare lance cannons. We'll approach from the east and take out the foundations, collapsing the gatehouse." Godfrey ordered.

He swung down low just safely above the troops and waited as his fighter sped ever closer. The moment came and his unit fired a quick burst of laser fire down range, vaporising stone and iron with ease. Then gracefully shooting up into the sky as the building crumbled to the ground.

"Well done Valkyrie." Praised Thomas.

Godfrey soared into the air as the United Forces advanced into the ruins.

As time went on Thomas pushed ever deeper into the citadel. All was silent as the humans pushed past street after street. Thomas raised his fist halting the column.

"Spread out and establish a parameter around these blocks and get a FOB up and running. Task Force Two will arrive soon. Let's make a warm welcome for them." He ordered.

Assisted by two of her men Alice barged through a door causing screams of terror as she charged in rifle aimed and ready. A horned woman and her child sheltered in a corner as they wept in fear. A terrified horned man put himself between Alice and his family, threatening her with a kitchen knife he stood defiantly.

Alice grabbed the knife by the blade and with the aid of her standard issue, exoskeleton she bent it. The man yelped at the show of force and collapsed on his back as Alice stomped forth. She offered her hand and he froze in confusion.

Then a bell tolled, it echoed loudly throughout the city and the denizens of the fortress wailed in agony as their very life force was ripped from their souls. Alice gasped in pain as the com network went down in a squeal of white noise.

Then she froze in horror as the family that whimpered before her glowed purple and wailed as their own flesh deteriorated and greyed. Their eyes turned to a dull silver as their hair grew from naturally short and brown into long thin and grey as ghostly light seeped from their bodies into through the walls.

Twas not long before they laid lifeless on the ground. Alice took a step forward, shivering in shock at what she had just witnessed. She held her rifle up at the ready as they collapsed dead. 

Soon the bodies started twitching. She froze in reaction then they growled and moaned as they rose from the dead. Struggling to their feet they slowly edged forth reaching out to Alice and her two bodyguards. Their eyes glowed purple as salivating mouths gaped unnaturally wide. Grey flesh hung off their exposed bones as they shambled ever closer.

"Open fire!" Barked Alice.

They let fly a full auto volley of plasma bolts into the creatures, blasting them apart. All around them the bark of plasma fire echoes throughout the city.

"Back! Get back now!" Roared Alice.

The three of them pull back to the street. They then had to lean against the wall as a Warden backed up and fired away with everything it had down the street. Alice and her men joined the line as it pulled back.

She gasped as she saw the oncoming ocean of grey flesh and purple light pace towards them. They pulled back even further and met with other fire teams at a T section then fell back into a single street. The men rushed to barricade the street as others held off the swarm. Time passed as plasma fire obliterated rotten flesh in a great ocean of blue, purple and ashen grey.

Soon they reached a town square that Thomas tried to make his base. In an unending wave, the citadel's populace filtered down to the humans' newfound base from throughout the city. Their numbers reaching into the millions they flowed from every corner and crevice of the titanic city.

As the battle raged on fists of ancient bone and metal punched through the paved ground to drag their bodies to the surface all around the humans. The battle grew desperate as the humans found themselves fighting back-to-back against the rising tide on all sides.

Twas not long before the undead grabbed what that ever they could and used it as a weapon. Despite the mighty firepower of humanity's presence in this cursed city the undead horde still crept ever closer.

Godfrey saw the dire situation and cursed as he had no zweihänders left. In careful staffing runs Godfrey's birds of prey swooped down to drive great gouges into the ranks of the foe.

Thomas fruitlessly barked into his mic trying to get a response as all around him the undead swarmed him and his men. Soon he roared in despair and anger as he blasted wildly into all sides.

All he could see was the unyielding masses of undead. Save for the towering bulk of the Wardens. They crushed undead underfoot as they stomped about clearing passageways with overwhelming firepower for isolated squads to group up. 

Thomas stood his ground as he, two Martians and three Venusians from random squads trusted their backs to each other. They fired endlessly into the undead ocean and held them back with every blast of power.

The floor weakened, crumbled and gave way beneath their very feet. They found themselves on their backs in a dark and decrepit place. Fighting with tooth and claw to survive as the world around them seemed to be consumed by the vile undead.

Thomas bashed one off with the butt of his rifle as another leapt onto him and bit his pauldron to little effect. He shook it off and fired a wild burst at the wall of enemies before him as another pulled on his leg and a second yanked onto his helm.

He drew his pistol and shot them both. Blasting wildly in all directions he struggled to his feet at the top of a pile of corpses the only light in and an ocean of darkness. With all his might he fought on but roared as his strength waned. Slowly he joined his comrades in death as he was overwhelmed by the undead.