Chapter 15: Declaring War on the Gods
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Chapter 15: Declaring War on the Gods
“The Raven Guard will stand firmly at your side, my lord,” Verano replied. “Other than strangling Chaos and exterminating the xenos, the Raven Guard seek nothing more.”
“Beyond those things, I ask nothing else of you either, Verano. I am pleased that you have chosen to stand so firmly with me.” Guilliman smiled as he answered, then turned toward the leaders of the other Chapters, expectation in his eyes.
“The Salamanders have always been humanity’s most loyal protectors. Anyone who fights against the enemies of mankind is our friend. I am willing to join your cause, so long as you do not find us wanting,” said a Salamanders warrior with dark skin, a stern face, and green power armor.
“A loyal heart is a rare and precious thing. There is no reason to find fault with it,” Guilliman said.
“The Space Wolves have never been absent from any battle against Chaos and the xenos. Lord Regent, the pack will become the sharpest sword in your hand.”
The representative of the Space Wolves, clad in wolf-headed ornamentation, spoke with unwavering resolve.
“I look forward to wielding that sword to victory.” Guilliman looked at the Space Wolves representative with a touch of humor.
Every Chapter representative declared that his Chapter would obey the commands of the Imperial Regent, assist him in purging the forces of Chaos from Ultramar, and use Ultramar as a base from which to strike at other regions of the Imperium, preventing the destruction of mankind.
After confirming the attitudes of the Chapters, Guilliman told them to rest well and await the day when the fleet would assemble and set out.
A new war was about to begin. Humanity would raise its sword against Chaos and the xenos.
After bidding farewell to his final group of visitors, Guilliman remained in the reception hall for a moment longer, lost in thought, before walking out.
The Honor Guard, clad in Iron Halo Terminator armor, followed closely behind him.
Calgar, Sicarius, and Fikris were waiting outside.
All three were among the finest warriors of the Ultramarines Chapter—heroes of the Imperium, possessed of supreme honor, who had shattered countless wars launched against humanity by Chaos and the xenos.
Calgar saluted Guilliman. “My lord.”
“There is no need for such ceremony, Calgar.” Guilliman shook his head. “Come with me to see the city of Macragge. Let us see how the reconstruction is progressing. We can also discuss a few matters concerning the future as we go.”
A skimmer soon descended before Guilliman. It was a sightseeing craft, designed for civilian tourism.
As the homeworld of the Ultramarines and the capital planet of the Five Hundred Worlds, Macragge held an exceptionally profound significance. Every year, vast numbers of tourists came to pay their respects at the home of the Ultramarines.
There were many such tourist skimmers on Macragge, all of them civilian vehicles.
When the armies of Chaos invaded, these skimmers had been militarized.
The one before them was no exception. It was easy to see that the craft had been converted for war.
Heavy steel plates had been mounted across its hull, with traces of welding still visible. Weapon mounts had not yet been removed.
Guilliman did not complain about the skimmer. He merely wished to see the current state of Macragge.
The scars left by the war remained horrifying to behold.
With the aid of the Adeptus Mechanicus, those who had survived the annihilating assault of Chaos were rebuilding their homes.
Large numbers of Knight Titans had been forced to remove their weapons and replace them with construction tools, helping the people restore their lives as quickly as possible.
Servitors of the Adeptus Mechanicus, each supported by six mechanical limbs, transported supplies back and forth and repaired the ruined buildings.
All of Macragge appeared to be flourishing with renewed life.
Of course, behind all this, there were still discordant voices.
As Guilliman surveyed the city, the thunderous sound of an explosion suddenly rang out.
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Several Thunderhawk gunships swept across the sky toward the site of the explosion, blanketing the enemy responsible with fire.
According to Calgar, the culprits were remnants of a heretical cult.
The forces of Chaos had already been purged, but not all the traitors had surrendered. They lurked in the shadows, launching attacks from time to time in an attempt to sabotage the reconstruction of Macragge.
Smiles covered the people’s faces. They were happy not merely because the armies of Chaos had been driven away and their home defended. More importantly, Guilliman’s awakening had shown them that even within the endless darkness, redemption remained possible.
Guilliman stood upon the skimmer in silence. He offered no comment on the sudden disturbances, merely gazing silently across the ancient, hidden, colossal city that had endured several reconstructions.
He had crushed the armies of Chaos with ease. That was undeniably true, and certainly something worthy of celebration.
Yet the memories of his first battle continued to echo through his mind, reminding him of just how brutal the war between humanity and Chaos truly was.
When the war had ended, Macragge had been reduced to a charred and fragile wasteland, with mire formed from the remains of the dead stretching everywhere.
In space, wreckage drifted in every direction. Countless Imperial soldiers had sacrificed their lives to secure victory.
That sight was impossible to forget.
After surveying the city, Guilliman turned to Calgar. “You are the subordinate I trust most, Calgar.”
“It is an immense honor to receive your praise,” Calgar replied, his face alight with delight.
“I have an extremely important task to entrust to you, Calgar. Aside from you, I can scarcely imagine anyone else capable of taking it on.”
Guilliman continued, causing Sicarius and Fikris, standing nearby, to reveal looks of envy.
To receive such unstinting praise from the Father of the Primarchs was an honor beyond measure.
“Before long, I will gather our forces and launch a cleansing war across Ultramar, eradicating the enemies of the Five Hundred Worlds once and for all. But I cannot set my mind at ease where Macragge is concerned. It has only just endured the ravages of war. If it were to suffer another assault by Chaos, the blow to Imperial morale would be unimaginable. I need someone I can trust absolutely to remain on Macragge and ensure that this world is never attacked again.”
Guilliman looked at Calgar, expectation and hope in his eyes.
A trace of astonishment appeared on Calgar’s face. He had assumed that Guilliman intended to appoint him vanguard commander for the coming war, transforming him into an unstoppable and terrifying blade in the hands of the Primarch.
He had never expected the Primarch to ask him to remain on Macragge, defending it against the threat of Chaos.
“My lord, I would like to—”
Calgar had not finished speaking when Guilliman interrupted him.
“In this troubled galaxy, I do not deny the strength of Celestine and Amarich. They have led the armies of the Imperium into battle time and again, confronting Chaos and the xenos and winning repeated victories. These Imperial heroes each possess their own unique brilliance, but they lack sufficient strategic vision, Calgar. I cannot entrust vital Macragge to them. I must place it in the hands of someone with both wisdom and strength—someone capable of guaranteeing victory beyond any doubt.”
“Macragge is not merely the capital world. It is also a crucial place in humanity’s future redemption. The Archmagos possesses several technologies of the utmost importance, and under my authority he is attempting to spread them throughout the Imperium. They will be enough to determine the balance of future battlefields. Calgar, if anything goes wrong, all our efforts will come to nothing.”
Guilliman knew what Calgar wanted to say. War was the thing every Space Marine longed for most.
But Guilliman now had to ensure that Chaos could not strike at his rear.
The technologies in Cawl’s possession were of vital importance. They could greatly strengthen the military power of the Imperium, sweep away its former decline, and give humanity the strength to confront daemons and traitors head-on.
Keeping Calgar on Macragge to guard the home front was the best choice.
“I will not fail to live up to your expectations,” Calgar said. Having heard this, he could only nod and obey.
Even so, a measure of disappointment remained in his heart. He had fought bloody battles for the Imperium and won countless honors for the Ultramarines, yet now he was being excluded from the Indomitus Crusade led by his Primarch.
Guilliman seemed to see through his thoughts and continued, “During this time, you may also prepare a suitable army. Once all of Ultramar has been purged and Macragge is no longer threatened, you will command that army as the vanguard. Take part in the Indomitus Crusade first, open the way for the forces that follow, and advance throughout the Imperium to exterminate Chaos and the xenos. Surely you do not wish to see a Primarch left without a personal Chapter, reduced to relying on other forces?”
“My lord, do you mean that I may raise an army?”
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“Yes, Calgar. A wholly new army, new warriors, new ships, and new ideas. This crusade will not merely drive back Chaos and sweep away the enemy. Eliminating the entrenched maladies of the Imperium is even more important. Members of the Reform Council will depart with you, spreading new Imperial principles and systems throughout the regions you visit and urging the local authorities to enact reforms. When necessary, you may treat those stubborn traditionalists as enemies and deal with them accordingly.”
Guilliman’s voice was grave. “I cannot entrust this task to anyone else, Calgar. Only you are worthy of my confidence.”
“I will devote every ounce of my strength to carrying it out, my lord.” The disappointment had vanished from Calgar’s voice. Guilliman’s trust had filled him with joy.
“Do not disappoint me, Calgar,” Guilliman said solemnly. “You are not merely defending Macragge. You are defending the future of humanity. Any mistake would be the greatest betrayal and injury mankind could suffer.”
“I understand, my lord. You will not be disappointed.”
In the days that followed, Guilliman received visitors from every faction, listened to their ideas and opinions, and made his own decisions.
A week later, Guilliman had assembled an army composed of the Imperial Navy, the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Sisters of Battle, Knight Houses, Titan Legions, the Inquisition, and countless other forces.
The problems of Ultramar had to be resolved as quickly as possible. Only then could the army advance into the wider galaxy, purge the forces of Chaos, suppress the rebellions, and rebuild the Imperium of Man.
Standing upon the bridge of the Gloriana-class battleship Macragge’s Glory, Guilliman opened a communications channel to the entire army.
His voice rang through every warship and echoed in the ears of every man and woman.
“I am honored to fight alongside you all—my brothers and sisters, my flesh and blood. The gods of Chaos believe that we humans will become toys for them to manipulate at will, forever unable to escape their grasp. They destroyed our homes and hunted our brothers and sisters, yet still expect us to submit to their dark and terrifying rule. That is nothing but a delusion. From this day forward, humanity will launch a total counterattack against those damned forces of Chaos and the xenos. With the swords in our hands, we will show them that humanity will never submit!”
Guilliman raised his voice. It shook the hearts of every listener like a peal of thunder, resounding in every corner.
“Humanity will never submit! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!”
As Guilliman’s roar rang out, the crews, soldiers, Knights, Space Marines, Inquisitors, and worshippers aboard the ships all raised deafening cheers. They answered Guilliman with fanatical fervor.
“Humanity will never submit! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!”
“Humanity will never submit! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!”
“Humanity will never submit! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!”
Every one of them was transformed into a zealot, faces flushed red as they shouted their frenzied slogans.
Even from the surface of Macragge, cheers rose in response. Everyone was shouting the same words.
Their emotions converged, forming a powerful psychic current in the warp near Macragge. It slammed into the raging warp storm, causing it to scatter and forcing the gods to take notice.
Amarich, Celestine, and the others felt it all. Their hearts surged like storm-tossed seas, and they found it impossible to remain calm.
With a leader like this, how could the Imperium possibly fail?
Calgar stood upon the surface, gazing up at the heavens. Before him, behind him, and all around him, countless people shouted in unison with their gene-sire. It was a charisma and infectious power beyond imagining.
“Set sail! Let us sound the death knell for the enemies of the Imperium. This time, we fight for the Imperium. We fight for humanity. We fight for the sacred Emperor!”
Guilliman’s roar grew ever more impassioned, stirring all who heard it and filling their hearts with boundless strength.
Amid the cheers, warships began to launch one after another. They tore through the veil of reality and entered the warp.
The flames of war had been rekindled. Humanity would never submit to that terrible dark destiny.
Even if it meant drawing their swords and declaring war upon the gods, the heroes of the Imperium would fear nothing.
End of Chapter
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