At present, the threat from the Zerg Swarm wasn't just the Dark Aeldari warriors in the conduits; a far greater danger was the massive fleet hovering above Commorragh.
While typical Aeldari vessels are renowned for their speed, firepower, and stealth, they remain nearly invincible entities in an environment where no Leviathans or super-heavy Swarm units are present, especially since these ships are often over a kilometer long.
A captain gazed down at the war zone. From his vantage point, he could only see small numbers of Zerg scurrying through the passages from time to time.
"Is it beneath this spire?"
"Yes. We conducted an investigation; there are no survivors left in the tower. Those bugs have consumed every living soul inside."
"How troublesome. The ground forces can't even handle a few insects. Prepare the Spire of Thorns—level the tower!!!"
In the captain's eyes, he was like a human standing over an anthill; one light push was all it took to collapse the structure protecting the nest.
The Pulsed Pulsar Lances were readied. Two massive beams slammed into the spire, obliterating it instantly. A large number of Zerg units inside, as well as a few unlucky Dark Aeldari, were caught in the blast.
"Which lunatic is bombing us?!"
"At least there are no more obstacles in front of us."
Two lance strikes had erased the spire, exposing Nydusara's Hive to the Dark Aeldari Navy.
"What a revolting nest of flesh. It's even more disgusting than the Haemonculi's experiments."
The captain raised his hand again. "Prepare for a second bombardment. Aim for the nest."
"Wait. A transmission from the Haemonculus Covens. They demand we cease fire; they want them alive."
"Tsk. Do those fools not realize how dangerous these beasts are?" The captain's expression shifted to one of blatant disgust at the Haemonculi's obsessive desire for modification.
"Ignore the Haemonculi. Proceed with the bombardment!"
Just as the captain gave the order, his first officer added, "This is also an order from Archon Slacus. He requires the support of the Haemonculus Covens."
"What? Has the Archon lost his mind as well?!" The captain was fuming, but he wasn't about to openly defy his Archon's direct orders. "These bugs are Tyranids!"
The officer shook his head. "Latest intelligence—they are not Tyranids."
"Not Tyranids?" The captain fell into thought. If they weren't Tyranids, what was there to fear? "Deploy the carrier craft and sky-boards. Assist the ground troops. Since they aren't Tyranids, I'll humor the Archon for now and leave the nest un-scorched."
It would be the most regretted decision of his life.
Nydusara, seeing the ceiling of her hive torn open, did not panic. The Swarm was prepared. During this time, she had used Changelings to gather intel on these ships and understood the Dark Aeldari's arrogance—sometimes they valued the "worth" of an enemy more than their death. More importantly, the Overmind had granted her significant support to cause this upheaval.
"The time is right."
In a distant corner of Commorragh stood a massive Webway gate. To call it a "gate" was an understatement; it was a colossal thoroughfare capable of allowing Aeldari capital ships to pass. Naturally, it could also accommodate a Leviathan.
The gate opened, but the local Dark Aeldari paid it little mind; it opened many times a day. But this time was different. As the prow of a Leviathan entered Commorragh, the nearby Aeldari realized something was horribly wrong.
"Is that a bioship?" "Tyranids! It's a Tyranid bioship!" "Curse it, how can Tyranids use a Webway gate?!" "Notify the Archon immediately!!!" "Can we close the gate?!" "No! The other end is being sustained; we can't shut it down!!!"
The Leviathan was so gargantuan that the Aeldari fleet spotted it almost instantly. The captain, who had been sipping hot tea while waiting for the ground troops to finish, was left speechless by the Leviathan's arrival.
"Where did this bioship come from?!" "How did they open the gate? Oh, misfortune—is this more trouble caused by those kin seeking refuge on Craftworlds?!"
Ever since a Craftworld had fallen some time ago, the Tyranid Swarm (as they believed) had gained a new unit called a "Cerebrate." It was only logical to blame their Craftworld cousins for the Swarm learning to use the Webway.
"Fleet to battle stations! Recall the strike craft! Leave the ground war to the infantry—our target is that giant."
A Dark Aeldari frigate fired first. A pulsar lance beam streaked out, but before it could hit the Leviathan, an invisible shield blocked the strike.
"What? A shield?!"
It had been far too long for the Leviathan's lack of shielding to remain unaddressed. While Abathur still didn't understand the Warp's essence, it didn't stop him from applying his own brand of "engineering." He had stitched together the brains and organs of Wych victims with Zerg tissue to create a massive "psychic generator." By stimulating these organs, the Leviathan could temporarily manifest a shield against any attack.
Notably, Abathur was highly dissatisfied with the efficiency of this "stitched" generator. Furthermore, when the organs were stimulated, Zerg units near the generator reported hearing whispers resembling those of Slaaneshi Daemonettes. The Swarm couldn't be tempted, but if Daemons manifested within, units would be lost. Thus, Abathur didn't plan for mass production yet, continuing to research more efficient "organs."
Abathur, after all, wasn't a certain blue robotic cat from another dimension; he couldn't just pull gadgets out of a pocket whenever the Overmind asked. Research took time. Even Belisarius Cawl spent ten thousand years on the Primaris Marines.
"Our reinforcements have arrived." Nydusara felt the control of the Leviathan transfer to her. "Come! Conquer all, assimilate all!!!"
The Leviathan began dropping spore pods across Commorragh. While deploying troops, these pods also spread Creep throughout the Dark City. Suddenly, the Dark Aeldari, who had the home-field advantage, found the battle becoming uncomfortable. The sticky, pulsating sensation of Creep beneath their feet was unsettling.
"Disgusting."
A Succubus of a Wych Cult—a high-level Wych—felt a wave of nausea as she stepped onto the Creep. Her high-heeled boots were covered in the fluids of crushed Creep-tumors. "I prefer the sight of crimson blood to this insect bile."
A spore pod burst open, and Zerg units rushed her. The Succubus remained calm, unfurling her long whip. With a cold flash of steel, a dozen Zerglings and several Hydralisks were sliced in half instantly. Her strength far surpassed that of common Wyches.
"Sisters! Drive these filthy creatures out!"
Nydusara quickly took notice of this exceptional individual. She had not forgotten her primary mission.