The ash desert was utterly hostile to all forms
of life. At dawn, Magos Peclaw had left the hive city on foot to begin his
perilous pilgrimage across the arid wasteland of Armageddon Secundus. Alongside
the Magos, Datasmith Quadro strode through the shifting ash dunes; his heavy
mechanical tread a stark contrast to the Magos' serpentine shuffle. Several
platoons of augmented Skitarii accompanied the two tech-priests; forming a
column of cybernetic creatures striding beneath the scorching sun.
Walking without rest for a day and a night brought the column near to their
destination. Adept Quadro paused his relentless stride to survey the desert
ahead. 'Where is it Magos?' He asked.
'Have faith Quadro,' Magos Peclaw replied 'all will soon be revealed.'
As Quadro watched, the first rays of Armageddon's sun breached the horizon. His
optical augmetics adjusted to compensate for the dazzling glare. Then, he saw
it.
The sun's rays glinted from a spar of bright metal almost fully submerged
beneath the shifting sands. Quadro strode forwards to examine the buried
machinery. At first glance it had appeared to be an isolated piece of wreckage;
but on closer inspection, he could see that it was part of a vast circular ring
seemingly set into the ground.
Quadro's internal cogitators rapidly calculated the circumference of the object
based on the visible section. 'Omnissiah!' He gasped. The thing was truly
enormous; a portal of steel and adamantium large enough to permit and entire
company of super heavy tanks to pass abreast.
In awe, he turned to Magos Peclaw.
'Magos, what is this place?'
The tech-priest regarded him with his six optic lenses.
'A place only spoken of in the legends of this planet.' He replied. 'I have
dredged the memories of many ancient machines to find this location. Welcome,
Adept Quadro, to the tomb of Oberon.'
