Chapter 200: Fateful Encounter
The Fulgrim suddenly let out a deafening roar that echoed across the battlefield. Its body, a twisted mass of interwoven steel and flesh, glowed with brilliant crimson light as it charged directly and purposefully into the advancing Black Legion formation before it.
Its eight massive legs moved like enormous war hammers, tore violently through the earth beneath. Every single step created deep craters in the ground, the shockwaves shaking the surrounding Black Legion warriors completely off their feet. It mercilessly trampled over the Black Legion's ranks without hesitation, its sharp metal hooves crushed the warriors' power armor and flesh alike into twisted wreckage across the field.
"Retreat! Everyone, retreat immediately!"
"We also have Dreadnoughts of our own! He only has one!"
The Black Legion warriors roared in response, making way for the Hellbeasts and Daemon Engines behind them. While also fusions of flesh and machinery, the Hellbeasts were clearly much smaller in size than the towering Fulgrim walker.
Two massive blades, like messengers of death itself, swung violently from its upper body. One of the blades, with its constantly rotating teeth spinning rapidly, slashed directly at an oncoming Hellbeast charging forward.
"Roar!"
The Hellbeast let out a piercing roar of defiance, its mechanical claw attempting desperately to tear open the Knight's chest armor.
However, the massive blade instantly cut straight through the Hellbeast's thick armor plating, and blood and putrid organs gushed out freely as the creature fell heavily with a resounding thud.
Another Defiler Daemon Engine roared furiously, swinging its massive claws forward to counterattack, but one of the Knight's six arms suddenly extended outward. Its thick mechanical claw gripped the Defiler's head, the immense force slamming it into the ground below.
Accompanied by a screeching sound of tearing metal, the massive blade sliced cleanly through the Defiler's body from the side, splitting it completely in two. Black daemonic essence steamed up visibly from the shattered engine as it let out an incredibly painful shriek that echoed across the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Clone Fulgrim, who was controlling all of this carnage, lay prone on the massive flesh-construct. Countless white tentacles connected directly to his body, and his eyes gleamed with fanaticism as he shouted excitedly into the air.
"For the Emperor! Hahaha!"
"Kill them all!" Behind him, the flesh-embryo engine that sealed the original Fulgrim glowed with purple light that pulsed rhythmically.
Rumble.
More drop pods descended rapidly from above, and several Iron Hands Dreadnoughts slowly emerged from the thick smoke. Their massive bodies resembled moving steel fortresses marching.
These Dreadnoughts appeared completely silent, but upon closer inspection, one could hear the sizzling electricity from within them, accompanied by intermittent low-frequency mechanical hums, as if their souls had completely merged with the metal and lost the ability to speak entirely.
All that remained was an endless will driving them relentlessly to unleash a merciless slaughter upon their enemies before them.
The automated heavy autocannons and lascannons in their hands began to fire wildly without restraint. A dense hail of gunfire poured out like a metal storm, directly hitting the Hellbeasts that roared as they charged the front lines desperately.
"How the hell are we supposed to take this back?"
"It's so big! Request more fire support immediately!"
The Black Legion warriors cursed loudly, now unable to retreat or advance safely.
Meanwhile, on another nearby satellite, hundreds of thousands of thralls were herded into a massive sacrificial array. Their eyes filled with fear and despair, while the surrounding Word Bearers chanted ancient, twisted incantations, their faces emotionless, turned toward the void.
A towering altar rose at the center of the array, covered in dazzling, multicolored runes that flickered with blinding light, seeming to move like living things across the stone surface below.
"Come, oh unspeakable beauty!" a Word Bearer roared fanatically, then slashed his arm deeply with a dagger, spilling blood freely onto the runes on the ground. The blood quickly evaporated after seeping into the runes, emitting a sweet yet foul-smelling smoke that rose upward.
As the incantations grew louder, the thralls let out desperate cries of terror, but these were soon drowned out by mad shrieks and twisted music from beyond.
Instantly, the void began to twist violently, and the air filled with an unbearable sweet fragrance and the stench of decay. A huge rift tore open in the void above, and brilliant pink and purple light gushed out as countless daemons swarmed forth with screams and mad laughter echoing.
The first to arrive was a Keeper of Secrets, a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, tall and curvaceous yet exuding a deadly majesty.
"Where is Fulgrim? I need to take him back," it purred seductively.
On the Astraean planet below, two forces faced each other in an unexpected standoff.
On one side were the Night Lords, their power armor as black as night itself, inlaid with blue runes and terrifying death masks.
Behind them, battle standards fluttered in the wind, adorned with images of crows and bats. Their helmets glowed with crimson light, and the chainswords and lightning claws in their hands hummed faintly with power.
On the other side were the Grey Knights, their power armor shimmering silver, inscribed with complex holy runes across every surface. Each suit of armor radiated light, a stark contrast to the darkness of the Night Lords. The force weapons and boltguns in their hands glowed with a faint blue light in the dimness. They stood ramrod straight, their expressions stern, their ranks perfectly aligned.
The two sides faced each other across a fruit stall, the air thick with the strong scent of fruit. The vendor in the middle looked back and forth at both sides nervously, his scalp tingling with fear, truly wondering what they ate to grow so big.
An unusually tall Grey Knight stepped forward, a golden Imperial Aquila emblem embedded on his helmet. His voice was like a dull blade scraping across metal. "Hand over the Pope and the Saint immediately! We represent the Inquisition to eradicate heresy!"
A burst of wild laughter erupted from the Night Lords' ranks, and some warriors' chainswords had already activated, emitting a low growl.
"Nonsense! On Cadia, only our Divine Inquisition has the right to apprehend heretics!" one of the Night Lords shouted back. "Those two are the heretics! We won't give them to you, unless you want their corpses!"
The Grey Knights exchanged confused glances. What the hell was the Divine Inquisition? They'd never heard of it before.
The Inquisitor ignored the provocation, slowly raising his hand to stop his warriors behind him from drawing their swords.
Suddenly, his head jerked up sharply. "Sniff, sniff~" This scent.
"Let's go! There are daemons!" With that, he swung his crimson holy robe, turned elegantly, and left.
The Night Lords stood in stunned silence, watching them go.
The Grey Knights quickly followed their sixth sense to the battlefield, looking at the wreckage of warships scattered across the sky above. Intense explosions constantly lit up several surrounding planets. They charged down directly onto a ground covered in blood and fire, where frenzied Khorne Daemons and Black Legion warriors surged like a tide.
The Iron Hands Dreadnoughts stood like unyielding iron walls, stubbornly resisting the waves of enemies. Their weapons, plasma-spewing heavy cannons and brutal chainfists, swept across the battlefield, tearing wave after wave of attacking Khorne Daemons into countless fragments.
When the Dreadnought standing at the very front was finally cleaved open by a daemon's axe, the expected spray of blood did not occur. The daemon tilted its head in confusion.
Then, the next second, the disemboweled Dreadnought shoved its melta gun barrel directly into the daemon's mouth.
Bang!
At the same time, the Grey Knights charged over, shouting, "For the Emperor! For Purity! Daemons have nowhere to hide!"
A Grey Knight swung his silver blade, severing both arms of a Khorne Daemon, then kicked it over. He raised his long blade high, and silver light erupted like flames, reducing the daemon to ashes.
"With faith as our armor, devotion as our shield, and purity as our sword, we bring the Emperor's holy light into the darkness, purifying all evil in this world!" A leader-like Grey Knight raised his war-blade high, invoking the Emperor's blessing. The air instantly filled with holy radiance, dispelling the surrounding Warp corruption.
"Damn you! What is this?" the nearby Khorne Daemons shrieked. They smoked and recoiled in pain from the burning light, their sharp wails echoing in the air.
On the battlefield, the initially ferocious daemons were now being pushed back step by step by the Grey Knights.
Seeing this, Abaddon knew it was his time to appear.
"Black Legion! Raahoooo!" He raised his daemon sword high, leading the elite warriors of the Black Legion to charge the Grey Knights' line.
The leader-like Grey Knight stepped forward. His silver great hammer and Abaddon's daemon sword clashed in the air, creating a piercing roar. The moment they collided, dazzling sparks flew.
"Abaddon!" the Grey Knight's deep voice rang out, and with towering rage, he swung a mighty hammer blow.
"Since you know my name, why do you not retreat?" Abaddon roared. "Watch me slay you!"
Each of his strikes carried the power of Chaos, but the Grey Knight always easily parried with a psychic shield, then landed a hammer blow on his opponent.
Puff.
Abaddon violently spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes flashed with confusion. "How is this possible! How can any random, unremarkable warrior wound me?"
Just then, a group of daemons stealthily approached from the flank, launching a sneak attack while the Grey Knight was engaged with Abaddon. A daemon swept its massive claw-blade at the Grey Knight, the blade's edge striking his helmet like a whirlwind.
"Hmph." The Grey Knight grunted, his helmet sent flying by the powerful force, revealing his face.
Everyone froze in that moment: Abaddon, the Black Legion warriors, and even the Chaos Daemons.
Because that face was identical to...Horus.
Abaddon paused for a moment, shock and fury intertwined in his wild eyes. This was impossible. He had personally recovered Horus's corpse. How could he still be alive?
Instantly, an infinite rage surged to his head, and Abaddon roared furiously. "Who the hell are you?"
"How dare you defile my Primarch!"
"You must die!"
But the Grey Knight's gaze was firm. He wiped the blood from his cheek, completely unshaken. "Sons, I am atoning for Horus! He betrayed the Imperium, but I did not! I will cleanse his sins!"
"For the Emperor!" Clone Horus spoke, his eyes now filled only with loyalty.
"Who are you calling son! You're just an imposter!" Abaddon screamed. "You are not our father, and we are not your sons! You are not worthy to speak his name! I will kill you today!"
Abaddon's eyes were bloodshot with rage. All plans were thrown out of his mind. He just wanted to kill this guy in front of him.
[End of Chapter]