After several days of sailing through realspace, the Spear of Virtue had nearly reached the orbit of Macragge. Inside their quarters, the travelers felt the hull shudder violently; the vibration of macro-cannons firing and the kinetic impact of void shields absorbing massive energy pulses kept the entire ship in a state of constant trepidation.
Currently, a Chaos armada—no less formidable than a Black Crusade fleet—was trading blows with the Ultramarines' fleet near Macragge. Lumbering cruisers and blade-swift frigates exchanged volleys of lance beams and torpedoes in a lethal dance.
Cawl and his retinue were led by an Ultramarine to the hangar housing Stormraven gunships. These aircraft would carry them to the surface. While the pilot offered assurances of a safe landing, Cawl remained visibly concerned by the inferno of battle raging outside.
Alexei gazed through a viewport at the desolate, fortress-pocked grey world below. The homeworld of the Ultramarines, Macragge, had finally been reached.
Once everyone was aboard the Stormravens—passengers buckled in and Cawl's automatic reliquary securely bolted down—the gunships ignited their ramjet engines and plunged resolutely into the fire-streaked void.
Macragge rotated slowly beneath them, a massive sphere of blue, white, green, and grey. Wreckage from countless warships tumbled past them, which the Stormravens navigated with agile maneuvers to evade enemy targeting locks. Despite the pilot's constant reassurances, the violent shaking and nearby explosions left everyone on edge. Finally, after a harrowing high-angle dive, they touched down safely on Macragge.
"Dammit, I feel like my components are about to shake loose," Klein complained. Despite most of his body being mechanical, he suffered the phantom sensation of motion sickness.
Cawl offered no reply, simply dragging the massive, humming reliquary forward. Aside from a few individuals like Alexei, most of the group remained intensely curious about the contents of the buzzing chest.
"Please follow me," an Ultramarine Battle-Brother said, approaching with a squad of Chapter Serfs. Their armor bore the dried stains of recent combat.
In somber silence, the group saw the full majesty of the Fortress of Hera for the first time. Towering fortifications sprawled in every direction, with massive battery emplacements pouring fire into the sky or spewing lethal flames at enemies encroaching upon the walls.
Ultramarines in Terminator plate hurried along the battlements. All of Macragge was engulfed in war; Alexei even spotted a Chaos Warlord Titan in the distance, relentlessly shelling the fortress.
The guide led them to the end of a long corridor. As they entered the room, they were met by a briefing hall defined by its austere, functional style.
The center of the hall was filled with rows of consoles and a holographic map generator. Dozens of robed clerks, servitors, and generals bustled about. At a massive conference table, Cawl's party finally found their targets: Chapter Master Marneus Calgar, First Captain Agemman, Chief Librarian Tigurius, and a Grey Knight stood huddled over a stack of tactical documents, their brows furrowed in intense concentration.
The mortal auxiliaries in the party immediately knelt to either side, showing their respect for the Lord of Ultramar. Cawl and his companions stopped before Calgar and his gathered advisors.
Marshal Amalrich and Chapter Master Tolmeron dropped to one knee, holding their swords before them—points to the ground, hands on the crossguards. Their Battle-Brothers followed suit, showing absolute respect to a Hero of the Imperium. Everyone else bowed deeply; only the Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Aeldari envoys remained standing.
The Ultramarine who had guided them announced their names and origins before swiftly retreating.
"I do not know any Archmagos named Belisarius Cawl," Calgar said, looking up at them. "Nor do I recall having any pacts or agreements with you."
Within the human contingent, while Saint Celestine and Alexei remained calm, the others looked toward Cawl in alarm.
Cawl remained unfazed, his mechanical voice rasping, "I am not here to see you. I am here for the true Lord of Ultramar. I must personally deliver the holy relic behind me into his hands."
The bustling hall went instantly silent. A second later, faces turned to masks of shock. Hooded scribes began scribbling furiously to record the moment. Marneus Calgar's expression shifted to one of pure fury, and the surrounding Astartes—particularly Captain Agemman—began to shout their protests.
Alexei watched the scene with the air of someone enjoying a show. Being physically present for such a legendary historical moment gave him a strange sense of satisfaction. Beside him, Yvraine shot him a brief, curious glance; she noted his reaction and realized this human seemed to know more than he let on.
"Chapter Master! I suggest we imprison them all immediately. We can release and judge them one by one after we identify the contents of that crate," Captain Agemman suggested, stepping toward Calgar. "As for the xenos, they can be executed on the spot."
At these words, Yvraine and Visarch subtly tensed their muscles, their hands drifting toward the hilts of their blades. If the situation turned, they were prepared to fight their way out.
As the noise in the room escalated, Calgar slammed his fist onto the table. "Silence!" The thunderous sound quelled the room instantly.
He turned his gaze to the Chapter's Chief Librarian, Tigurius. "I wish to know your thoughts on their words." Calgar placed immense trust in Tigurius, who had already predicted the enemy's arrival and provided detailed counsel.
Tigurius looked at the towering figure in Martian red robes. After a moment of silence, he spoke: "I prophesied their arrival days ago, foreseeing that they would bring us hope. Even the presence of the Aeldari is by the Emperor's will. I will vouch for them."
Calgar took a long, hard look at the group. "Explain your intentions and how you came to be here."
One by one, including Alexei, they stepped forward to recount their experiences at Cadia and their journey to Macragge. Even the Aeldari spoke, though Cawl remained tight-lipped about the specific nature of the relic in his crate.
When Alexei finished his report, Calgar signaled for him to stay put. "You claim that you personally severed the right arm of the Despoiler?" Calgar's scrutinizing gaze swept over the mortal's body, searching for any sign of the supernatural.
"It was merely luck," Alexei replied with a respectful smile. "The blade Saint Celestine currently holds is the very daemon weapon Abaddon once wielded; it has been purified by the Emperor's divine power." He told a small lie.
Saint Celestine glanced at him but did not expose the falsehood; instead, she spoke up to confirm that his words were true.
Calgar remained silent for a long moment before finally nodding. "Very well. I will take you to the resting place of our Gene-Sire. But if you make even the slightest suspicious move, we will end your lives instantly."
"Chapter Master!" Captain Agemman tried to protest again, but Calgar silenced him with a shake of his head. They did not lack for executioners if the need arose.