The [[Stynari Combine]] of Stynarous IV had been locked in a brutal war of attrition with the[[Orks]] of [[Waaagh!]] [[Slugruk]] for over a century, pushed back day by day by the aliens as theircavern cities and tunnel settlements fell. When the beasts finally gathered before the gates ofthe Sunless City, the Combine guildmasters turned not to the far-off [[Imperium]], but to theDark Gods for salvation.{{Fn|1}}

It was Laesydra the Golden that answered their prayers; a Daemon Prince of Slaanesh drawnto the stench of fear that hung around the Stynari. Within a Stynari solar year Waaagh!Slugruk’s hordes had succumbed to the Golden Host, Laesydra’s army cutting down thegreen-skinned aliens for the joy of their dark god. As the numbers of Daemons infestingStynarous swelled it was the Grey Knights that heeded the call, the [[Prognosticar]]s feeling thedark power of Laesydra rippling into the Warp.{{Fn|1}}

[[Brother-Captain]] [[Caddon Varn]] commanded the assembled strike force, his [[cruiser]] slippingundetected into high orbit above the world, Stynari’s long-neglected orbital defences hangingcold and silent in the void. Ion storms and torrents of hard radiation made teleportation oratmospheric insertion hazardous, so Varn commenced his assault against the Abyssal Needle,an orbital conveyer used to ferry ore from beneath the planet’s surface and into space.The Needle’s docking ring had become a temple to [[Slaanesh]], its corridors and chambersdecorated in the remains of the Stynari while Daemons and hysterical [[Cultist]]s lashed eachother bloody with flails crafted from severed fingers and human hair. When the primary voidlockyawned open, the worshipers were oblivious as they whipped and tore at each other inecstatic agony; only the Daemons looked up, sensing the psychic bow-wave of somethingterrible approaching.{{Fn|1}}

Honoured Ancient [[Jaeon]] was the first to step out of the void-lock, the[[ Dreadnought]]’s silverhull glinting dully in the guttering light of candles rendered from human fat. The nearest[[Daemonette]] only had time to hiss its hatred before Jaeon’s [[autocannon]] thundered to life,turning it into a fine pink mist. The Dreadnought swept the room with rounds, its weaponhammering rhythmically as the heavy ammunition punched holes through Daemons, Cultistsand bulkheads. Spreading out on either side of the heavy walker, Grey Knights in powerarmour advanced into the chamber, adding the sound of ripping [[storm bolter]] fire to thecacophony.{{Fn|1}}

Despite the shock of the assault the Cultists surged forward, Daemonettes darting throughtheir ranks to get at the Grey Knights. Crude blades and flashing [[lasgun]] fire sparked off thebattle-brothers’ armour as they tried to keep the Cultists at bay with brutal strikes from theirforce weapons. Where the shining blades drew blood a Cultist or a Daemon fell, their lifeessence cut from them in a flash of psychic will. Yet the Daemons came on, flocking to thescreams of the dying, their claws finding weak spots in the Grey Knights’ [[power armour]] andsinking into the flesh below. Only Jaeon was largely immune from their assault, wading intothe middle of the fray, the Dreadnought’s armoured form towering over the melee, his greatpowered gauntlet pulverising anything it touched in a shower of mangled flesh.{{Fn|1}}

Using the Dreadnought to anchor their line the Grey Knights [[Strike Squad]] fell back to thevoid-lock, the Daemons pressing hard against them. Sensing victory over their foes, thecreatures’ black eyes opened wide with pleasure as they laughed and shrieked. However, thiswas part of Varn’s plan, and once the Daemons and Cultists were jammed into the tunnelbefore the lock the Brother-Captain and his Terminators appeared behind them in a coldflash of teleportation. Trapped between the two Grey Knights forces the Daemons foughtwith an insane fury, killing Cultists as often as landing a blow upon one of the silver-armouredwarriors as they tried to escape the Grey Knights’ trap. Varn ordered his brothers toclose the vice, and with methodical fury the Grey Knights advanced, cutting down everythingin their path until at last their blades met. At their feet the deck was awash with destroyedbodies and the scorched smears where the Slaaneshi Daemons had fallen.{{Fn|1}}

With the docking ring clear, Varn moved quickly onto the next stage of the attack. Unloadingtheir vehicles, the Grey Knights gathered in the conveyer. Far below, in the heart of theStynari’s subterranean hive city, Laesydra sensed the coming of the Grey Knights andgathered together its Golden Host. At the head of a vast army of Daemons and human thrallsthe Daemon marched to the Sunless City, a vast oculus where the conveyer plunged downkilometres into the centre of the world. Eager to trap the Space Marines within the conveyer’scradle as it came to rest, the Daemon Prince sent forth its swiftest troops to pin them inplace. [[Seekers of Slaanesh]] and [[Seeker Chariot]]s raced on ahead, reaching the conveyer locks intime to see the cradle descending from the firmament.{{Fn|1}}

Brother-Captain Varn had planned for this too; well aware his foes would try and trap him inthe oculus. As the Daemons hungrily watched the cradle they failed to notice the shadowshurtling down the conveyer shaft ahead of it. Like birds of prey the [[Stormraven Gunship]]sscreamed out into the chamber, their assault cannons and [[stormstrike missile]]s rippingbloody furrows through the Daemons’ ranks before unloading their cargo of [[Space Marine]]s.When the cradle finally came to rest and the Grey Knights joined the combat, the chamberwas a scene of utter mayhem. Everywhere battle-brothers fought Slaaneshi Daemons, asStormravens, Rhinos and Razorbacks provided covering fire. Varn led the charge that pushedthe foe back, the Dreadnought Jaeon at his side. Suddenly the walker staggered, and theBrother-Captain looked up in time to see Jaeon’s hull torn open by Laesydra, the Daemonlaughing as it ripped the ancient battle-brother’s remains from his sarcophagus.{{Fn|1}}

Varn directed a blast of arcane fire at the Daemon but it brushed the flames aside, grabbinghim around the waist and lifting him up to its face. The Brother-Captain struggled against the cloying waves of power rolling off Laesydra, as its psychic tendrils tried to prise open hismind. Out of the corner of his eye Varn could see Grey Knights falling and fought against thedespair the Daemon was trying to plant in his heart. Appalled by the power Laesydracommanded, the Brother-Captain plunged his force sword into the Daemon’s heart andpoured his will into the weapon. However, before the Nemesis weapon could unleash itskilling power the creature flung Varn away, one of its claws breaking the blade in two as itscreamed its rage and retreated behind its minions.Picking himself up, the Brother-Captain voxed for his reinforcements – the [[Dreadknight]] andStrike Squads he had held in reserve. However, now it was the Grey Knights’ turn to beoutmaneuvered, as Laesydra had pre-empted this move by its most hated foe. As theteleportation beams coalesced, profane runes laid months before flared to life, stirring theWarp into a storm, and scattering Varn’s brothers even as their faint outlines materialized.{{Fn|1}}

Clutching his broken sword Varn realised the battle had turned against the Grey Knights,only a handful of silver shapes visible among the swarms of Daemons and Cultists. Promisinga reckoning, the Brother-Captain summoned his Stormraven, fighting his way to its ramp,while sending an order to his Strike Cruiser to enact his extraction plan. In a spectaculardetonation the Abyssal Needle was severed, ripping its roots from the world as it spun off intospace and opening a ten kilometre hole in the earth above the battle. As earthen and steelrain fell upon the Golden Host, Varn made his retreat with his surviving battle-brothers. Evenas their vessel climbed into orbit the Brother-Captain sent his orders for [[Exterminatus]],proclaiming Stynarous lost to the Imperium.{{Fn|1}}

*{{Endn|1}}: [[Codex: Grey Knights (7th Edition)]] - — ''Strike Force Lucerne''