บท 17: Chapter 17
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"Sir, do you have any orders for me?" Sicarius entered and asked, looking at the seated Guilliman with a questioning gaze.
Guilliman rose, and his armor made a delightful sound with his movement. He wore the armor that allowed him to return from death at all times. This suit of armor was not just a creation of the Adeptus Mechanicus; it contained a trace of the power of death, precisely the power that filled the spiritual wound of Guilliman, allowing him to resurrect.
In that duel at Calth, Guilliman was stabbed viciously by the traitorous Primarch Fulgrim. The blow pierced his throat, making him sleep for thousands of years. The wound was not just physical; it was also a spiritual injury. Otherwise, even if a Primarch's heart was taken out, he would not die immediately.
The Primarch Ferrus Manus was killed because Fulgrim used a weapon infused with the power of Chaos; otherwise, it would have been impossible to kill a Primarch. As of now, Guilliman has no means to remove his suit of armor. Perhaps when he unlocks the second layer of his database, he might find a way.
"The Astropaths have received a message. The Sarum system is under siege by Plague Marines, and they need some help. I've analyzed this information; the system lies on our route. Therefore, I've decided to let the Macragge's Honour lead a portion of the fleet to solve the problem in that system. I need you to muster the warriors, so that when we exit from the Warp, we can form a force immediately. We must be as quick as possible, clean up the Sarum system, and then rejoin the fleet for our journey to the industrial system - Konor."
After a moment's hesitation, Sicarius cautiously replied, "This matter doesn't require your personal intervention. Captain Felix can handle it, he would do well. You shouldn't enter the battlefield; we can't afford to risk losing you."
"No, I can't make a decision and let others fight for it while I hide in the back. Moreover, the fleet will eventually need to split up to aid different systems. I am a Primarch; the Imperium needs me to achieve victories, the citizens of the Imperium need me to win. The matter is settled, Sicarius, go prepare."
Guilliman's tone became solemn, leaving no room for doubt.
Going to the Sarum system to eliminate the Plague Marines, in addition to pacifying the public, Guilliman had his own plans. The Lord of Dominance template could convert the faith of the Imperial citizens into power. The higher the renown, the greater the victories, the more trust from the public. Just like the 'murder book' in the gorge, constantly stacking buffs until, in the end, it's 'kill whoever obstructs, exterminate whoever interferes.'
Guilliman's enemy has always been clear: the Chaos gods. If he lives, the gods die. If he dies, the gods live. The conflict between the two is as stark as fire and water, extremely sharp, with no room for compromise or mitigation. One side must fall for this war to end. Guilliman must seize every opportunity to enhance his reputation and influence, ensuring that the citizens of the Imperium firmly believe he, the Lord of Ultramar, one of the Emperor's sons, is the beacon of salvation.
Upon hearing Guilliman's resolute and undeniable words, Sicarius had no choice but to agree. He bowed his head, took a respectful bow, turned around, and walked out to gather the warriors on the Macragge's Honour. They must be ready for battle and aim to cleanse the Sarum system as quickly as possible.
Guilliman was going to lead a fleet alone to rescue the Sarum system. The rest of the fleet would be managed by different heroes. Though gathering such a large number of battleships together is undoubtedly powerful.
The fleet, however, couldn't quickly secure victory and restore peace to Ultramar.
The fleet would split. Imperial heroes such as Celestine and Amalrich would each lead a fleet to rescue star systems trapped in the clutches of Chaos.
The ultimate destination of these fleets was the industrial system of Konor, on the farthest edge of the Ultramar region, and nearest to the border of Imperial territory.
The Imperial heroes would take various routes to the Konor system, rescuing the star systems that needed help along the way.
Once all fleets arrived in the Konor system, the task of purging the forces of Chaos from the region of Ultramar would essentially be complete, with the forces then able to extend their reach to other regions of the Imperium.
Saint Celestine, Inquisitor Greyfax, and other Imperial heroes didn't want Primarch Guilliman to personally join the battlefield, fearing the loss of him like ten thousand years ago. However, they were convinced by Guilliman, each taking their fleet to complete their mission, to save the people in deep distress.
On the bridge of the Macragge's Honour.
The servitors linked to the main control centre's computer started to tremble. The magnitude of the trembling caused the neural cables connected to their cerebral cortex to shake as well.
The servitors announced the information in unison.
"Coordinates detected, Sarum Star System."
The captain, with his mechanical arm and electronic eye, scrutinized the multitude of data windows in front of him and commanded, "Enter realspace."
The data officer, power officer, and intelligence officer updated the data every moment at the fastest speed their mechanical parts would allow, so they could better control the massive ship.
"Realspace coordinates data analysis completed."
"Energy circuit is switching, attempting to open the realspace portal."
"Power systems are stable."
In a series of rapid announcements, the twenty-six kilometre long Macragge's Honour burst out of the warp, followed by the warships of other chapters, fighting alongside Guilliman.
A vast amount of information flooded into the bridge, with data being rapidly shared between the warships.
The auspex screeched, and the cogitator hummed at high speed.
"Warning, Chaos ships detected."
"Warning, Chaos ships detected."
The servitor connected to the auspex via neural cables convulsed, and the brass voice emitter embedded in its throat quickly relayed the information about the enemy.
"Switch the Geller field to void shields, prepare for battle, fire at will, wipe out these damned traitors, let them know our power," the captain, gripping the railing in front of him, roared.
Sarum Star.
Gryphonne IV Hive.
The historic mega hive had already largely fallen under the relentless onslaught of the Plague Marines.
The surviving civilians have been evacuated to the massive Celestial Fortress, where the void shield is still operating normally, serving as the last refuge for these survivors.
The continuous roar of artillery fire persists, with the remaining planetary defenders leveraging the final fortress of the Hive City, sniping at the Plague Marines in a desperate attempt to halt their advance.
The tide of the plague-made zombies is gradually engulfing the defenders' positions, with the shadow of death looming ever closer, driving the defenders into deeper despair.
Inside the fortress, civilians, their faces etched with pain, huddle together, attempting to draw some mental strength to survive in this bleak and desperate world from the warmth of each other.
Men and women of suitable age have been drafted to the battlefield, only to become corpses that fall, rise again, and transform into plague-ridden zombies.
An elderly woman holds two children close. The children's innocent eyes are filled with fear and unease, their unspeakable sadness tugging at the heartstrings.
At an age that should be filled with innocence, they have already understood the pain of life and death.
Born in a dark age, all they see is despair and suffering.
Their peaceful lives were shattered just a few months ago, as the children watched their fathers take up arms and join the soldiers on the battlefield.
They watched as their mother was seized by the plague zombies, who screamed in agony for them to run. They watched as their mother was torn apart by the zombies.
"Grandma, didn't you always say that the Emperor will protect us? Why didn't he send his angels to save us? He didn't save Mom and Dad either," asked a trembling girl, her gaze shifting from the praying believers in the distance to the old woman holding her.
The elderly woman looked at the girl, suppressing her own fear and managed a kindly smile, her withered and bony arms holding the girl tightly.
"Grandma doesn't know, dear. Perhaps, the Emperor's angels are too busy."
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