The Eldar persuit was close, but Inquisitor Mateus had made it back to the Trading Enclave. Despairing that the Artifact Might Leave the surface of their world, the Eldar launched a vigorous assault into the Human trade enclave deep in the heart of the Tau settlement.
The Tau caught unawares put up no resistance to the first eldar thrust, and soon the Eldar were ranging unchecked through the Trade Enclave.
Mateus, with all avenues cut off, played his trump card. En-route to the world of H'rus, the Inquisitors ship had run across the 9031st Imperial Guard Division, redeploying from the Damocles Crusade en route to counter Hive Fleet Behemoths thrust into the Eastern Fringe. Using his Rossette, Inquisitor Mateus had diverted the fleet carrying the division, and it was now he chose to reveal a part of it. On his order the Strike Cruiser of the third company of the Exorcists, the Lux Imperator, dropped out of the warp to deliver its payload of Marines directly onto the Enclave.

With the Eldar roaming freely through the ruins of the Imperial Quarter of the City, it wasnt long before the two hosts met.
The Feircest fighting took place around Hab Block XVI. Eldar and Marine forces clashed head on in and around the ruined hab block.
An Eldar force patroling the perimeter wall met an Exorcist force using breaching charges on the Enclave wall to enter the city. With the bulk of their troops caught still dispersing from the recently created Breach the Marines had little time to react to the Eldar counter attack.
Swift footed as ever most of the eldar managed to avoid the bolter and lascannons aimed at them with the Marines only managing to bring down an Eldar Falcon, forcing the Dire Avengers to tumble in dissaray from their flaming transport.









Eldar scattered everywhere as marine firepower ranged down on them, Some running into assault while others took up firing positions in the surrounding buildings. Eldar return fire was withering, with many of the brothers caught out on the street, still clearing the breach, the Eldar inflicted heavy causalties.
Further into the enclave, the fire was less effective. Marine Jump troops and Terminators ranging ahead of the main party at the breach swung around to meet the Eldar and sweep them from their buildings before they could get settled.




Assault Marines Swept out of the buildings into the street. The first Eldar to die were the Bikers , swept from their rides by Bolter and chainsword. The Terminators tramping through the ruins of the Hab Block beyond them sent supporting fire streaming over their heads into the Eldar Guardians sheltering in the building opposite.
The Assault Marines made short work of the Jet bikes and swept on to the guardians position.





Over on the street the Eldar rush struck the Marine Line Fire Dragons leapt from their Falcon and opened up on a nearby Devastator Squad. Playing their Fusion Blasters over the Marines, they took a heavy toll. Marines, their flesh superheated in seconds exploded inside their ceramite armour.
The remainder of the Squad along with the rest of their Brothers on the Street remained fixated on the approaching Banshees and Dire avengers. The Bansees charged a Marine Tactical squad, their power weapons accounting for many Brothers. Unfortunately their charge had been shattered by Bolter and Plasma fire as they had run up the street. Too few of their number had arrived at the point of impact to have a decisive effect. The Marine counter assault finished the job, killing or incapacitating the last of the Banshees.






Over in the tangled ruins of the Hab, the Assault Squad paused briefly to spin their chain blades clean and jetted over the heads of the Guardians, landing on the shattered tiles behind them. Guardians caught by surprise by the maneauver were systematically butchered. It was over almost before it had begun, Guardian corpses lay dismembered, scattered all around their erstwhile shelter.











As Soon as the fire-Dragons were reported on the field, Brother Captain Vorenus, leading the Terminators determined that the The Fire Dragons could not be allowed to live. Ordering his squad to punch its way out of the Hab block the Terminators stepped out onto the veranda on the flank of the Fire dragons on the Street. Storm Bolter fire echoed down the street, almost drowned out by the ripping sound of the Assault Cannon carried by Brother Nosferus. Fire Dragons came appart under the onslaught, leaving none standing.
All down the street knots of Marines and Eldar swirled in melee killing each other with wild abandon.
But the balance was tipping, fewer and fewer Eldar stood to carry on the fight.














High above it all, ancient Marius emerged from the lift on the roof of the Hab Block and maneauvered his Dreadnought Sarcophagus to the edge of the building. From this position He was able to range on any target on the field.
Eldar Dark Reapers in the building opposite franically fired up at Ancient Marius trying to dislodge him from his perch. Missles flew wide or bounced from his ceramite shell.
He chose the remaining Eldar heavy jet bike, shattering it with a well placed Las cannon shot. Its Death pyre signaled the end of the Eldar will to fight. They tumbled back down the road in headlong flight.

The Exorcists had won the victory but at a heavy cost. Many Battle Brothers had fallen in taking the breach.