Under the blood-red night.
The pack of wolves broke free.
The Sons of Leman Russ, from Fenris, the Ice Hell, fought with a vigor and style significantly different from the Lion's Royal Guard emerging from the deep forests of Caliban.
Morgan had once witnessed the First Legion's various Heavenly Armies, Wings of Soldiers, and Chapters pouring out in full force. The continuous warfare with the Randan always required even the most powerful legions to go all out, and whenever that happened,
she was one of the most authoritative members of the Dark Angels, a formidable force the First Legion could rely on in countless moments of despair and difficulty, a figure positioned above Corswain and Astoran, able to witness with the noblest and steadiest perspective how tens of thousands of Astartes fought, battled, and died.
Even more, when Caliban's Knight King could no longer suppress his intermittent urge for slaughter and hunting, the orders received by the high-ranking knights of the Dark Angels were Morgan's cold voice and ruthless plans. Often, if not for the difference in voice, judging by content alone, even Corswain would find it difficult to distinguish between the two Primarchs.
Over time, even the most stubborn Terra Veterans had grown accustomed to carrying out the commands of another powerful figure. These Terrans grumbled with trivial dissatisfaction, but their steps in executing missions never faltered.
Thus, even after a decade of fierce fighting in the blood and fire of Randan, Morgan still hadn't touched the First Legion's most core secret. But beyond that, she knew and had access to everything about the Dark Angels: including most of the First Legion's detailed organization and secret Chapters, obscure war histories unfamiliar to many Terra Veterans, and even some things and secrets entrusted to Lion El'Jonson by the Lord of Mankind.
In a sense, Morgan had grown accustomed to, even enjoyed, this state: she indifferently watched the Dark Angels bleed and sacrifice themselves in battle after battle that would never be revealed,
then lightly plucked the secrets and spoils of war forged from the fresh blood of the Lion's progeny, devouring them, allowing the still-wet loyalty and blood to brim and overflow between her lips and teeth, silently flowing down her jaw and neck, witnessing her feast in the smoke of war.
And now, among Leman Russ's legion and battle lines, the Spider Queen occupied the same position: her power, will, and greed transformed into a demonic dragon sweeping through the smoke of battle, compelling even the strongest and most reclusive warriors to respect her power and choices, even though her long boots hadn't a speck of dust on them.
Looking out, from one end of Morgan's vision to the other, the area was completely occupied by an endless tide of Iron-Grey Wolf Soldiers. Perhaps five thousand or more Sons of Leman Russ had been thrown into this assault,
with the Third Great Company and the Thirteenth Great Company undoubtedly forming the main force. Jorin Bloodhowl, who had caused such havoc on Durhan Star, was charging the fastest, his roars and shouts already fading at the edge of Morgan's sight.
"He's always like that, fighting with an attitude that discards life, yet that very courage often keeps him safe: in battle, the cowards obsessed with self-preservation are the first to die."
"The battlefield belongs only to warriors, not to others. Those who call themselves warriors but are scholars, monks, and cruel officials at heart are utterly unsuited for battle, no matter how powerful they may be."
Leman Russ's words echoed in Morgan's ears. The Wolf Lord of Fenris took deep breaths, turning the hot air into whistling mist in the cold. He was not a mere observer of war: alien blood had congealed into a sticky paste on his blade and boots, mingling with more flowing blood, emitting a foul stench.
Everything indicated that the Wolf Lord of Fenris had been fighting fiercely: he had likely killed only slightly fewer Xenos than Morgan. Amidst the Wolf Lord's roars, the Sixth Legion had already broken through dozens of Xenos lines.
Morgan did not reply. She merely breathed quietly, feeding as much as possible in a dimension invisible to others, harvesting fresh Xenos souls into her hands and greedily devouring them.
No one knew that she was currently in a relatively weakened state; her accumulated souls had been completely depleted in previous battles. The Spider Queen could now only exert her original strength.
Her last remaining reserves had also transformed into the current sight just moments ago: as far as the eye could see, there was desolation. Randan legions had collapsed one after another, fortresses had fallen, and interwoven trenches and bunkers had turned into a burning inferno, incinerating the far-traveling Xenos army into salty ashes scattered to every corner by the wind.
Such a scene of decay was, in the eyes of every Imperial warrior, the final embers of a glorious victory, and Hektor was no exception.
The tall Tusks stood about three paces behind his Gene-Mother, still somewhat unaccustomed to his current duties. His gaze even rested somewhat offensively on Leman Russ, prompting an annoyed glance back from the Wolf Lord's personal guards. The Primarch of the Sixth Legion, however, looked at this unusually tall Astartes warrior with interest, clicking his tongue in wonder.
But Hektor paid no mind. He now possessed the capital to proudly face any Space Wolf who passed him: nothing else but the desolate ruins before him.
Just a short while ago, this place was a meticulously prepared killing net, with hundreds of thousands of Xenos distributed within impregnable bunkers and fortresses. Anti-aircraft firepower and Void Shields were as dense as stars on a night sky.
The first wave of Space Wolves dropping from orbit was quickly annihilated on this battlefield; most of them hadn't even reached the ground, their Drop Pods destroyed mid-air, turning into violent meteors that, in their constant descent and disintegration, killed thousands of warriors with high temperatures, asphyxiation, and powerful air currents.
The second and third waves, futile assaults, turned into senseless slaughter. The presence of Void Shields forced many intricate tactics to give way to bloody attrition, until an ominous light appeared at the very heart of the Randan position.
Those seasoned Xenos warriors who had survived battles against the First Legion were the first to perceive the ill omen. They instantly recognized the figure slowly emerging from the light.
After a long time, the terrifying epithet of "Soul Drinker" was softly whispered from their mouths. Fear and madness were instantly provoked, and when Hektor opened his eyes from the light, all he saw was an overwhelming torrent of gunfire.
Even Hektor, who tried his best to shield Morgan, didn't see what happened next. He only felt his Gene-Mother seem to raise her hand and utter a single syllable in the most nonchalant and gentle tone. Then, there was light, endless light, as if it swallowed everything in an instant. Both the cacophony of cannon fire and the roars of the Xenos all dissolved into absolute silence.
The light was fleeting. When they regained their sight, the Xenos legions that had held the drop zone, along with their impregnable fortresses, had turned to dust. The even more unfortunate individuals had even merged with the iron walls, their wails echoing in the air for a while before the Psychic Fire completely consumed them.
After a long while, a new batch of Space Wolves squeezed out of their Drop Pods and hurriedly landed. The Sons of Leman Russ were on high alert, gasping as they rushed out of their iron tombs. The distorted expressions on their faces, which had been prepared for endless bloody combat, at the sight of the barren wasteland before them, was a comical scene Hektor could never forget.
No more words were needed. Just seeing a three-meter-tall figure standing there, just seeing the Astartes warriors respectfully standing behind her, these battle-hardened Space Wolves already knew what had happened.
The Wolf Lord stepped out and respectfully saluted Morgan, thanking her for her power and assistance. In the face of such terrifying results and ruins, even the most eccentric Sons of Leman Russ knew what attitude to adopt: the Sixth Legion's pack moved in silence.
They cleared the ground, set up new defensive lines, and dispatched squads and vanguards to scout the situation further ahead. Throughout this process, subtle gazes never left Morgan's closed eyes, filled with curiosity, speculation, and a well-deserved awe.
Leman Russ himself only arrived on the ground afterward: in the face of the strange Psychic power, the Fenrisian Wolf King, who had departed earlier, was still far behind his kin. This made him gnash his teeth in irritation, throwing himself into the very front lines without hesitation.
As Hektor stood behind his Gene-Mother, feeling those complex gazes upon him, an emotion he had never experienced before slowly began to brew in his chest.
Pride.
A remarkably obvious pride.
Pride for his Primarch.
It was truly a novel experience.
He could stand tall, facing any Space Wolf who walked past him, regardless of their noble rank or friendly demeanor. Nothing could dampen the small pride stirring in Hektor's chest.
Pride for his Mother.
Although it was a very brief experience, soon swept away by more gunfire and roars, when Hektor blinked, he could still vividly recall that feeling.
But now was not the time for reminiscing.
Morgan's progeny forced his will to be vigilant once again, his gaze fixed on his mother and the Primarch of the Sixth Legion: Leman Russ, having specifically returned from the front, must have had his own specific purpose.
In a blink of an eye, this war had been going on for a long time. At this moment, the two Primarchs stood on a fortress that was mostly in ruins: over three thousand Randan soldiers had once been stationed here, serving as a flaunting firepower point, blocking the Space Wolves' advance. To take it down, over fifty Sons of Leman Russ had fallen to Morkai.
And now, this burning ruin had become a sharp blade piercing into the Randan's body: a neat, makeshift square had been cleared, constantly supplying transport aircraft and Drop Pods landing on this land, from which more and more deadly weapons of war emerged: Chimeras, Rhinos, Typhons, Executioners...
And, of course, more Sons of Leman Russ.
"An entire Armored Legion, and a whole Great Company."
The Wolf Lord of Fenris snorted through his nostrils, framed by his golden beard. He spoke slowly, his tone containing a rather strange challenge.
"I hope they can demonstrate their combat strength and kill as many of those Xenos spawn as possible. If they can achieve a record like yours, that would be even better."
The Wolf Lord's words held a hint of triviality compared to his usual casual demeanor, and at that moment, Morgan opened her blue-green eyes: there was nothing left nearby for her to plunder.
[You are not suited for beating around the bush, my brother Russ.]
[Speak, what do you want?]
Leman Russ spat, the acid slowly corroding the ruins.
"I just came back from the front, you know, my Thirteenth Great Company and I just tore through several Randan defensive lines. Their troop strength and will are more formidable than I imagined."
[The front has stalled?]
"Not to that extent, we've been steadily advancing from start to finish, but it's too slow."
"We need to punch through an entire world to reach our destination. This world has as many fortresses and Void Shields as Magnus has bookworms. If we keep chipping away like this, who knows how much more time we'll waste."
"And we don't have time. My warship tells me that the new Randan fleet is constantly attacking and outflanking us. Our forces are still at a disadvantage overall, meaning we don't have time to slowly wear them down."
"We need a decisive strike."
[…Decapitation?]
"Call it what you will, but we definitely need a more powerful strike, a killing blow. I mean, do you have a way to transport you, me, and a squad of my men to the vicinity of that so-called 'Fate Engine'? We'll handle the rest."
[That would be very dangerous, Russ.]
Morgan's reply brought a clear smile to the Wolf Lord's face. He strode boldly to his kin, sizing her up as if meeting for the first time.
"You've been around Lion El'Jonson for too long, you've even lost your ferocity."
"In this fucked-up world, when are we not walking with danger?"
"Can a captain raise the sails and guarantee a safe return? Can a warrior draw a sword and guarantee victory?"
"Let's just do it. You and I, two Primarchs together, there's nothing we can't handle."
Morgan smiled, but did not reply. She closed her eyes once more, her consciousness roaring with newfound power, an invisible sharpness covering the entire world.
She saw it, saw the dense Xenos armies surging, saw the Soul Furnace capable of chilling anyone to the bone, saw the almost impenetrable iron walls surrounding that object.
She turned her head, feeling only the crimson sun desperately trying to break free from its shackles and burst into this star system. Its power made Morgan frown.
In reality, Leman Russ waited patiently for a few seconds, his brows tightly knitted together.
"Give me a straight answer, what in the..."
The Wolf Lord's growl echoed in the air, but just as his irritation was halfway to full, Morgan's palm rose, stopping before him, abruptly choking off the rest of his fury in the Fenrisian's throat.
A voice colder than Fenris's own inferno made Leman Russ recall the Sea of Eternal Winter of his homeland.
[Yes.]
[I allow it.]
Morgan opened her eyes, looking at her brother with an indifferent gaze.
[How many people do you want to bring?]
"Well, let me think."
Leman Russ laughed, revealing his savage canines and fangs.
"How many bodyguards would it take to properly protect your delicate little heart, hmm?"
Then, the Wolf Lord saw a sarcastic smile from Morgan that he liked even less than his own.
[As you wish.]
[The numbers you care about, the strength you rely on, at any time, for me.]
[They are meaningless.]
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).