Battle of Cretacia
| |||
The Battle of Cretacia took place early in M42 and saw the Flesh Tearers reclaim their homeworld after years of isolation.[1a]
History
The battle began when Flesh Tearers Chapter Master Gabriel Seth charged the Chaplain Dumah with reestablishing contact with their Chapter's homeworld of Cretacia, which due to the formation of the Great Rift had been cut off for nearly 20 years. The Flesh Tearers are in desperate need of new recruits and supplies after the Devastation of Baal, and Dumah is given the 4th Company for the mission.[1j]
After crossing the Great Rift and finally arriving in the Corythos System aboard the Strike Cruiser Cretacian Justice, the Flesh Tearers receive no word from Cretacia and the 4th Company lands to investigate. Dumah prioritizes claiming the Fortress-Monastery and relics, while the Apothecary Barachiel wishes to investigate the fate of the greater system and the possibility for the cure for the Black Rage on their homeworld. Venerable Dreadnought Daeron agrees with Dumah, and they lead a dangerous expedition through Cretacia's deadly wilderness to the Fortress-Monastery as Barachiel is left aboard the Cretacian Justice to perform genetic purity tests amongst the crew to look for any further Genestealers.[1a]
Dumah and the 4th eventually reach a tribal camp, finding evidence of a massacre and learn that the female children have been taken hostage by a nearby group of raiders. After rescuing the children and slaughtering the raiders, Dumah kills a monstrous beat to prove his worth to the tribal chieftain, but more importantly finds evidence of Chaos Space Marine activity on the world.[1b] As the 4th investigates further, they discover a Khornate Heretic Astartes that states the Blood God covets and learn that the Chaos Space Marine warband known as the Disciples of Rage under a Chaos Lord dubbed only the First Disciple has taken over the Fortress-Monastery.[1c]
Dumah meets back up with Barachiel and make a plan to reclaim the Fortress-Monastery. Despite initial disagreements and arguments over whether the Black Rage belongs in the Chapter or not, Barachiel agrees to follow Dumah's plan for a frontal assault supported by orbital bombardment. The Flesh Tearers are aided by the tribes of Cretacia, which are eager to expel the Chaos invaders.[1d] As the Cretacian Justice launches an obrital bombardment and Attack Craft are launched to destroy the Fortresses defensive guns, Dumah orders a frontal assault despite Barachiel's warning. The first assault fails and the Flesh Tearers and their allies suffer heavy losses. Faced with annihilation Dumah agrees to follow Barachiel's plan of a subterranean infiltration to disable the fortresses power generator.[1e]
Infiltrating through a hidden corridor used by Aspirants, the Flesh Tearers face only token resistance and are able to quickly reach the power generator chamber. After destroying the reactor with explosive charges, the fortresses Void Shield falls and the Cretacian Justice is able to inflict massive damage on enemy defensive positions. Dumah uses the opportunity to lead a fresh frontal assault, and though the fighting is bloody the Flesh Tearers and tribals are victorious. A berserk Dumah then encounters the First Disciple, clad in the Terminator Armour of Nassir Amit, and the two engage in a vicious fight as Barachiel reaches the Black Tower and discovers some still-living captive Death Company warriors.[1f] Dumah releases his new Death Company as Barachiel discovers the bodies of Aspirants horrifically mutated from a secret attempt to cure the Black Rage.[1g]
The Death Company is eventually able to turn the tide of the battle under Dumah's command, finally breaking through into the fortress defenses as the First Disciple falls back. The Flesh Tearers discover that the Disciples of Rage are planning to open a Warp portal in the Fortress Reliquary, and they rush to stop Cretacia becoming a Daemon World as the Death Company sacrifices itself to buy time.[1h] In the reliquary, Dumah is able to kill the First Disciple and recover Nassit Amit's Armour while stopping the opening of the Warp Portal.[1i]
After the battle, Cretacia is secured but what little population there was has been decimated while the Fortress-Monastery is heavily damaged. It is discovered that Barachiel since accepted the Black Rage to the point of receiving his own vision of Sanguinius battling Horus, succumbing to the curse of their Chapter in turn.[1j]
