Blood Gears

Sensor watched the rising pillar of smoke touch the heavens above. It originated from a pile of burning scrap metal destroyed by a Vanir that oversaw the invasion of Warsaw. It was surrounded by two-headed reptilian Demons with blue scales and yellow marble-like eyes. Its Legion was extinct when one of their Mark I brothers have single-handedly engaged them in Hell in a fit of rage.

Kneeling down, he took one scrap and examined it with an armored hand. An LBV from the 56th Armored Mechanized Infantry of the DS Resistance. He muttered a prayer for the fallen machine's pilot before tossing it back to the funeral pyre, igniting the bonfire even more. He stood, green eyes scanning the battlefield for any survivors but he doubted there will be. He took a step forward, his movements were tracked by SAS Troopers from the Black Squadron.

"Sergeant," Tribune-Commander Protectorate Sensor called the Briton from behind. The King decided to commit some of its forces to aid Heaven and its Angels in its battle against the Vanir and his demonic forces. "I would suggest that you provide overwatch to this position."

"Of what purpose, Commander?" The Brit replied with an annoyed tone. Sensor sensed that the Sergeant didn't like being set aside especially in a conflict like this.

"I need to seek something. If you follow me, you might lose your lives in the process."

"That's what we have trained for."

"But the King has no use of you dead." Sensor replied. His voice was both mechanical and digital filtered by his helmet's voice amplification system. Even the gasmasks over the SAS Troopers' faces possessed the same technology but not as nearly as the same as the device installed in his. "Just do what I say. I'll be back after a few minutes." He waited for no reply and walked away.

The streets were empty. Just like every urban battle zones he have gone to, the buildings were shot up with vehicles scattered almost everywhere. Corpses laid on the side like ragdolls and blood were sprayed like some child played with red paint. The silence disturbed him but it did not bother him. His Tactical Computer chimed multiple times in his right arm. He pressed a couple of icons to silent it before advancing to his chosen direction.

He came across an intersection, the scenery were identical as the first. He took the path to the right, Blast Rifle hefted and ready to fire. He muttered a prayer to keep his spirit awake.

"Mater Dei, ora pro nobis."

His Heads-Up Display Link illuminated a couple of times as it detected a Mark II Protectorate lying on the ground. His organs were missing, possibly harvested. He moved over to his body and saw that the corpse were still wide eyed.

"Requiescat in pace, brother." Sensor said, pity slowly making his way in his heart as he closed his brother's eyes. Despite their differences, the Mark I still see him as an equal. To hell with the invisible line that divides the Mark I and Mark II castes, they were Enochian Guardsmen, serving Heaven under one Legion.

He felt the ground shook. He ignored it and continued down the path, albeit with increased pace. His targeting reticule began blinking red, warning him of an enemy approaching. Sensor moved like a blur, his Praetorian Battle Gear whined as he exerted speed in his movements. Soon enough, he found a Demon, its appearance the same with the one he saw earlier. Its two heads roared before charging.

The display link identified the Demon as a 'Wave Rider Legionnaire'. He aimed his Blast Rifle at one of its heads and opened fire. The left head burst apart in a gore of purple. Its right head screeched before releasing a stream of blue flames from its throat. Sensor rolled to the left, swinging his right arm to extend the blade mounted over it. He sprinted full speed ahead, impaling the Demon's last head from the chin to the top of its scalp. More blood sprayed as Sensor yanked it upwards.

As the Wave Rider fell to the ground, his Display Link illuminated in red again. He glanced far ahead and spotted a muscular horned red Demon with a single eye. It was armored in tattered leather and was armed with a wooden club. The Red Tide Legionnaires, he encountered them before in the Battle of New York when the Divided States isn't divided yet. The Demon was flanked by two Wave Riders, its reptilian heads screeched before mindlessly advancing at him.

He raised his left hand and released a streak of lightning at one of the Wave Riders. He fired off his Blast Rifle, at the other one; blue superheated plasmas raced from the barrel of his rifle to the scaled chest of the Demon. He heard sizzling and smelt the scent of cooked flesh even with his helmet on. He fired more shots, putting balls of flames to each heads of his target. He sprinted, landing a kick at its wounded chest.

He ducked, avoiding a sharp claw that almost mutilated him. He gripped his rifle tight and swung in a wide arc, the toothed bayonet ripped a huge chunk of flesh from the chest of the Wave Rider. Both heads screamed but were silenced with plasma shots. Ahead, the Red Tide Legionnaire roared in challenge and raised its club, beckoning Sensor to charge him. Sensor gave in; the cyclopean Demon met him head on.

When he was at range, Sensor jumped, evading the wide swing of the Demon. He aimed at pointblank range and fired repeatedly. Its head evaporated in searing hot energy and fell headless, knees first. He landed with a roll, Display Link flashing in red thrice as three armored Demon Knights appeared from behind. The Display Link identified them as 'Order of Gestalt Annihilation'. Knights were different from Legionnaires, they were more organized and disciplined. Their lethality were incomparable than the messy Legionnaires, who fights with no tactical sense.

Setting his Blast Rifle to its highest setting, he raised his aim and sighted the Knight in the middle. He opened fire; powerful condensed energy punched a fist-sized hole through his target's chest. The other two were a blur and immediately closes in.

"No point in using a ranged weapon now." Sensor muttered to himself as he drew a double edged machete. The Enochian runes etched on the side glowed. He swung over his head and parried both attacks thrown at him.

He thrusts sideways to the right, the Knight parried his attack. Sensor grabbed the Knight's wrist to prevent him from defending himself. He pulled and swung downwards, amputating the Knight's right leg. The Knight fell, Sensor grabbed its leg and used it to parry the attack of the other one while preparing to impale its fallen comrade. Sensor finished the wounded Knight with a stab to the neck before impaling the other one with a thrust to the chest. Both fell to the ground, lost against the Protectorate. None could withstand the speed and power of the Hybrid before them.

He dropped the amputated leg to the ground and sheathed his machete. He was about to return to his troops when the ground shook again. This time, it bothered him so he turned only to see a tall humanoid HBV, its shoulder mounted rockets and twin chainguns attached to its hands were aimed at him. The surface of the black mechanical robot were carved with satanic imagery, the ink used were possibly belonging to the Remnant Soldiers of the Order of Saint Paul sent to liberate the city but failed miserably. The cockpit located on the mechanical vehicle's chest were glowing in red. He sensed a Protectorate within, but he didn't recognized the pilot and his Display Link recognized it as Human.

"Motherfucker," Sensor's blood boiled when realization hit him. The Mark II earlier and his missing organs, and the pilot...it is possible that the HBV Pilot cannibalized his brother.

"Surrender now or die!" Its pilot spoke over the external comms attached to the HBV's frame.

Sensor glowed brightly, his body growing in size. He morphed into a ten-foot tall mechanical Angel to match the machine in front of him. He pulled his Burning Blade from nowhere before charging at the enemy in front of him.

"HONORIS IN MORTIS!"