Chapter 9: The Unyielding Battle
Chapter 9: The Unyielding Battle
All those who had a voice were present at the meeting called by Guilliman. The warband commander Calgar, along with company commanders, saints, and the Tech-Priests, gathered in the council chamber of the Hera Fortress where Guilliman resided.
This fortress bore an ancient history, existing for over ten thousand years and witnessing countless extraordinary events. One could recall the time of Horus’s rebellion, when the warp storms raged, severing connections between star systems, the Emperor was trapped on Terra, and many loyalist armies were leaderless. The Primarchs of the three great legions had gathered here to deliberate on humanity’s fate.
A thousand centuries had passed since then. Everything had changed—people and things alike. The long passage of time had taken much, yet also brought new things. On the walls of Hera Fortress, traces of past invaders were still faintly visible. Tyranids, Orks, and the forces of Chaos had all laid siege here. As a crucial defensive position on Macragge, the fortress was always a prime target for enemies.
Recently, it had been designated a target for destruction by the Chaos forces, who sent numerous cultists, Chaos Space Marines, and daemons to invade. When Guilliman awoke, the Chaos armies had already breached the fortress’s interior, leaving ruins and corpses in their wake. Now, the fortress had been largely restored, the bodies removed, shattered marble columns and floors replaced, and broken streets repaired. The Thought Computers used for tactical projections and data storage had new wetware components installed, restoring their functionality.
Guilliman surveyed the gathered heroes of the Imperium. Were it not for his status as the Emperor’s own son—the Primarch—few could command such an assembly of high-ranking figures. Each person present held the authority to independently deploy and command Imperial fleets. Their words could decide the fate of millions, erase worlds or individuals deemed threats to humanity’s survival.
Each of these men and women possessed courage, strategy, a broad sense of purpose, and an unwavering love for humanity and loyalty to the Imperium. For the continuation of the empire and the survival of mankind, they would not hesitate to sacrifice others or themselves.
At the center of the council chamber stood an oval table. As everyone took their seats, the mechanical devices within hummed softly, one by one tactical projections appeared in midair, displaying the current threats facing the Segmentum Ultima.
The fortress of Cadia had fallen; the Great Rift’s influence already reached this region. Demons and xenos ravaged human worlds. The citizens of the Imperium, living in fear, urgently needed salvation.
Nearby, Tech-Priests and servitors, clad in soiled red robes, moved about, maintaining the Thought Computers and various mechanical devices. It was worth noting that Thought Computers were brain-based machines. During humanity’s Golden Age, an AI rebellion had occurred, so the Imperium forbade any robot or computer lacking human flesh—this was one of the empire’s red lines. Those who crossed it were declared traitors to humanity and hunted without mercy.
The brains used in Thought Computers were sourced from unforgivable Imperial criminals or clones from the Cult Mechanicus. After specialized programming, these brains were placed in hardened glass tanks, connected by numerous data cables to machinery, forming a Thought Computer.
Once all were seated, Guilliman took his place at the head of the table. Every eye was fixed on him, revealing unhidden fervor and excitement. Their gazes followed his every move. To walk alongside a Primarch of the Emperor was, for the loyal, an immense honor, one worthy of lifelong remembrance.
Guilliman felt the weight of these looks, a slight pressure within. All awaited his leadership to save the Imperium—anyone in such a position would feel nervous, for this was a battle against gods themselves; defeat would mean total ruin.
“The situation of the Imperium remains dire,” Guilliman spoke softly yet with penetrating clarity. His voice echoed through the chamber, ensuring all heard distinctly. “Beyond the Chaos invasion, the Tyranids and Necron xenos assault us from all sides. If you have thoughts or opinions, speak freely; do not fear your rank or status.”
From the Black Templars warband, the Supreme Marshal Amarique spoke first. “Regent, you must go to Terra. It is the heart of the Imperium, home to the greatest human elites. There, you will gain the power and resources to rebuild the human empire.”
His reasoning was sound. Terra was the Imperium’s most vital capital world; all the elite able to travel there would do so. Wealth, status, and everything else drew them in. As the Emperor’s son, Guilliman, the living legend with mythic genetics, had every right to return to humanity’s cradle, Terra—formerly known as Earth. He could assume control of the Imperium’s highest authority, the Terra Council, and restore the Regent’s powers.
Guilliman responded, “Now is not the best time to return to Terra. We cannot save the Imperium all at once; we need preparation, a stable rear. No one knows the condition of Terra after the Great Rift. A rash return would only put us at a disadvantage. The five hundred worlds under Ultramar’s command need salvation. This sector is the most stable within the Imperium and can provide us with ample warships and soldiers.”
Return to Terra? Would that not be like setting the Emperor’s throne ablaze? Guilliman harbored doubts—how long could he hide the secret within him, the soul of a traveler from another time, from the gaze of the Dark Gods and the Emperor himself? Before his identity was exposed, he resolved to gather trusted allies, build a secure rear, and strengthen his ability to protect himself.
More importantly, Terra and the entire Solar Segment were the domains of the High Lords of Terra, the Inquisition, the Ecclesiarchy, and the Cult Mechanicus. Though many loyalists dwelled there, many others thirsted for power and would never relinquish it for mere loyalty.
Had not Horus himself been embittered when the Emperor excluded Primarchs and Space Marines from the Terra Council, leading to his fateful betrayal and the cataclysmic Horus Heresy? Power was a seductive thing.
Should Guilliman return, he would have to consolidate authority, reform Terra, and reunify the Imperium. The resistance would be immense; a misstep might spark rebellion and chaos. Now was not the time. Rather than waste time on political balance, it was better to strengthen his forces and break the deadlock through force.
Guilliman’s words sparked some discussion. There was little opposition to his plan to first stabilize Ultramar as a rear base. Ultramar was the collective name for the five hundred worlds, each a paradise compared to other Imperial worlds. Each possessed full industry, medical care, and self-sustaining food production—unimaginable elsewhere in the Imperium. Restoring order and productivity there was vital for saving the empire and humanity.
Guilliman proposed numerous war plans to sweep through Ultramar, maintaining stability in this segment. The meeting’s focus shifted to strategies for pacifying Ultramar’s territories.
After deliberation, all agreed to launch a comprehensive counteroffensive centered on Macragge. Guilliman named this campaign the Unyielding Battle, symbolizing humanity’s refusal to succumb to the dark fate proclaimed by the Chaos gods and their determination to resist with every effort.
At the meeting’s conclusion, Guilliman retained the Tech-Priest Kor’Liu to discuss matters of great importance—issues that would determine the future of the Imperium and mankind.