Chapter Summaries

Librarian Vashiro foresaw an ambush, and the Silver Skulls fought Iron Warriors and Chaos forces while Doom aided them with psychic powers. Elsewhere, Trazyn captured many Chaos Astartes, while the Soul Maw Warband besieged the Silver Skulls' monastery and a massive armored figure landed to face their attack.

• Librarian Vashiro foresaw eighty-eight World Eaters in the rainforest, but artillery destroyed the Silver Skulls' Thunderhawk Gunships and revealed an ambush by Iron Warriors and Chaos Annihilators.
• Doom empowered the Silver Skulls as they charged the Iron Warriors, while he killed Chaos traitors with psychic lightning.
• Trazyn ordered his Necron Warriors into close combat and captured nearly all the surviving Chaos Astartes in stasis fields.
• The Soul Maw Warband advanced on the Silver Skulls' monastery as its defenses opened fire.
• A massive figure in Vibranium Power Armor landed outside the monastery, and the Chaos Astartes charged him.

Rorschach repelled the Chaos forces attacking the Monastery Fortress, but suspected their assault was a distraction and ordered the planet's defenses to prepare. Deep in the rainforest, Perturabo emerged from a Chaos Portal and revealed that he had come to take revenge on his brother.

• Rorschach fought off the Chaos Astartes and destroyed several heavy vehicles with his Psionic Rays.
• The Chaos forces withdrew into the rainforest, and Rorschach refused to pursue them despite the Silver Skull Battle Brothers' calls.
• Rorschach ordered Doom and Trazyn to pull back and told the Silver Skulls to activate planetary defenses and gather the Savage Tribes.
• Iron Warriors massacred a Savage Tribe and used the corpses to open a Chaos Portal.
• Perturabo emerged from the portal, learned that Rorschach remained on the planet, and declared his intention to take revenge.

Rorschach prepared the Silver Skulls' fortress-monastery on Planet Xavius for a siege by Perturabo's Iron Warriors, despite having too few defenders to hold out until reinforcements arrived. As Rorschach and Trazyn agreed to face the coming battle together, Trazyn revealed he had brought five Necron forces or assets.

• The Silver Skulls fortified their monastery, summoned Primitive Savages, and used an ancient Knowledge Crown to train them for combat.
• Vashiro warned Rorschach that the Silver Skulls' fleet was trapped in battle and reinforcements might take fifteen days; Rorschach predicted they could hold for only three to seven days against Perturabo.
• Rorschach told Trazyn he would not abandon the homeworld and asked him to lead an evacuation if necessary.
• Trazyn refused to leave Rorschach behind and offered to fill the defenders' shortage with Necron forces.
• When Rorschach asked whether Trazyn had brought a Necron army, Trazyn replied that he had brought five.

Chaos forces attacked the Necron Monastery Fortress on Xavius, with Iron Warriors and heavy artillery opening a path through the rainforest while other warbands charged the walls. The Necron Doomsday Ark began charging its cannon, but plasma beams from deeper in the rainforest struck it and sent it crashing toward the battlefield.

• The Iron Warriors and Chaos vehicles bombarded and flattened the Metal Fortresses, clearing a path to the Monastery Fortress.
• The Skull Taker and Soul Maw warbands charged the fortress, where Tomb Blades and Necron forces ambushed them.
• Skorpekh Destroyers leapt from the walls and inflicted heavy losses on the World Eaters as the Iron Warriors fought the Necron Warriors.
• The Iron Warriors used Stasis Bombs to freeze Necron Warriors and cut down their numbers while both sides exchanged fire.
• A Necron Doomsday Ark rose above the battlefield and began charging its cannon.
• Plasma beams from deeper in the rainforest struck the Doomsday Ark, disabling it and sending it plunging toward the battlefield.

Rorschach and the Astartes led an assault against the Iron Warriors while Doom and the Primitive Savages attacked the Chaos forces from behind. Perturabo arrived in a massive mechanical body, and after their clash he struck Rorschach’s helmet with a heavy iron fist.

• The Iron Warriors advanced with mortal slaves and Primitive Savages while Doom led another group of Savages in an attack on the Chaos Astartes’ rear.
• Rorschach led Astartes from the Monastery Fortress and broke into the Iron Warriors’ formation with his weapons and Shadow Step.
• A powerful crimson beam overloaded Rorschach’s Rose Rosary and hurled him into the mud, where he recovered from the attack.
• Perturabo appeared in a massive mechanical body and charged Rorschach, forcing him backward in their clash.
• Rorschach blasted a hole through Perturabo’s chest armor with the Mind Stone, but Perturabo struck Rorschach’s Skull Helmet with an iron fist.

Rorschach lured Perturabo, now transformed into a mechanical Daemon Primarch, into a storm and used lightning to attack his metal body. The lightning engulfed Perturabo as Rorschach plunged away, leaving the fight unresolved.

• Perturabo battered Rorschach at close range, but Rorschach severed one of his arms with the Scythe of Blood and retreated.
• Perturabo reattached his arm and destroyed Rorschach's Melta Bombs with beams fired from spikes across his body.
• Rorschach flew upward while firing Heart of the Forge, drawing the pursuing Perturabo toward storm clouds.
• Rorschach stopped in the clouds, taunted Perturabo, then shut off his propulsion and plunged downward.
• Lightning engulfed Perturabo as he charged upward, ravaging his metal body.

Rorschach defeated Perturabo and captured him in a Hypercube Labyrinth as Trazyn’s Necrons joined the battle. Silver Skulls reinforcements arrived, turning Perturabo’s invasion into a rout, while the Iron Warriors began to regard Rorschach as their target.

• Rorschach crippled Perturabo with lightning, then drove him into a deep crater and left him severely wounded and unconscious.
• Iron Warriors rushed to protect their Gene-Father while Rorschach fought off their attack.
• Trazyn brought Lychguard onto the battlefield and gave Rorschach a Hypercube Labyrinth, which Rorschach used to capture Perturabo.
• The Iron Warriors sensed Perturabo’s disappearance and launched furious, suicidal attacks against the Astartes and Necron Warriors.
• Drop Pods carrying Silver Skulls reinforcements descended after Chapter Master Argentius broke through ahead of schedule.
• Rorschach charged back into battle as the Iron Warriors prepared to hunt him across the galaxy to reclaim Perturabo.

After the victory on Xavius, Rorschach returned Perturabo to Trazyn for safekeeping in exchange for the cloned Fulgrim. The Silver Skulls agreed to join Rorschach's legion, and he reassured them after Chief Librarian Vashiro revealed their possible bloodline connection to Perturabo.

• Trazyn offered Rorschach the Hypercube Labyrinth containing Perturabo, but Rorschach returned it and arranged to receive the cloned Fulgrim in exchange.
• Chapter Master Argentius and the Silver Skulls chose Chief Librarian Vashiro and three hundred veterans to join Rorschach's legion.
• Rorschach abolished the Silver Skulls' numerical restrictions and ordered them to recruit without limit.
• Vashiro told Rorschach that some Silver Skulls had developed a bloodline connection to Perturabo during the war.
• Rorschach affirmed the Silver Skulls' loyalty, said their bloodline had not tainted them, and ordered that the secret be forgotten after the affected Astartes' memories were purged.

Rorschach welcomed Doom, Trazyn, and the Silver Skull veterans aboard the flagship, then had Trazyn release Fulgrim from a Hypercube Labyrinth. Fulgrim attacked Trazyn before Rorschach explained that the Necron still had uses, leaving the brothers together as Trazyn returned in a substitute body.

• Rorschach assigned Doom to guide the Silver Skull Fleet, whose veterans planned to acclimate to life aboard the flagship.
• Rorschach asked why Trazyn stayed in his palace, then told him to remain nearby for the fleet’s safety.
• Trazyn released Fulgrim from a Hypercube Labyrinth as part of their agreed exchange for a disposable clone Primarch.
• Fulgrim awakened and struck Trazyn, sending his Living Metal body and chair flying.
• Rorschach told Fulgrim that Trazyn still served a purpose and pointed out that he had returned in another body.

After learning about the Imperium’s desperate situation, Fulgrim joined Rorschach’s 22nd Legion and helped forge himself a Primarch-grade Antarctic Vibranium sword. The weapon produced supersonic slashes powerful enough to threaten even Terminator Armor.

• Rorschach persuaded Fulgrim to set aside his revenge on Trazyn and explained the Imperium’s current troubles, while Trazyn added its xenos perspective.
• Fulgrim was relieved to learn that Rorschach’s forces had captured Perturabo and praised his younger brother’s growth.
• Rorschach announced to the assembled Astartes that Fulgrim had returned to the Imperium and joined the 22nd Legion.
• Rorschach and Fulgrim forged a giant one-handed sword from Antarctic Vibranium, with Fulgrim guiding the work and Rorschach helping at the forge.
• Fulgrim tested the finished sword and fired supersonic air-cleaving slashes that could pierce ordinary Power Armor and challenge Terminator Armor.

Rorschach and Fulgrim paused their sparring after Tyberus reported an unresponsive merchant vessel following the fleet and carrying a license signed by Fulgrim. On the flagship bridge, a seductive voice addressed them as brothers, hinting that the vessel’s arrival was connected to a familiar rival.

• Rorschach and Fulgrim sparred in upgraded vibranium Power Armor, and Rorschach adapted to Fulgrim’s attacks as their weapons clashed.
• Tyberus interrupted the training to report that an unresponsive merchant vessel was following the fleet despite warning shots.
• Tyberus revealed that the vessel had sent an ancient merchant license bearing Fulgrim’s signature, so Rorschach and Fulgrim went to the bridge to investigate.
• A malicious, seductive voice sounded through the bridge’s communications and called Rorschach and Fulgrim its brothers.

Chaos Fulgrim projected himself onto Rorschach’s flagship to taunt the brothers and demand that Rorschach hand over Fulgrim’s clone. Rorschach refused and ordered the fleet to fire Nova Cannons, destroying the vessel carrying Chaos Fulgrim, who vanished with a menacing promise to meet them again.

• Chaos Fulgrim appeared on the flagship’s projection devices, and Tyberus understood Rorschach’s signal and left to prepare a response.
• Chaos Fulgrim taunted Rorschach about capturing Perturabo and threatened to reveal the fleet’s coordinates to Perturabo’s Gene Offspring.
• Rorschach mocked Chaos Fulgrim’s reliance on Sallish and refused to surrender Fulgrim’s clone.
• Rorschach ordered Tyberus to fire the Nova Cannons, and the flagship and several cruisers blasted Chaos Fulgrim’s vessel into wreckage and cosmic dust.
• Before the projection vanished, Chaos Fulgrim smiled at Rorschach and Fulgrim and promised they would meet again.

After the Nova Cannon attack, Rorschach and Fulgrim mourned the dead crew and encouraged the survivors as the fleet resumed its journey. Doom worked on an FTL Engine prototype and struck a deal with Trazyn, who offered Necron technology to help isolate psychic energy in exchange for Doom trying to persuade the Primarch to let him enter the Local Universe.

• Servitors removed the bloodstains and corpses from the flagship, and the mortal crew returned to their duties as the fleet set sail again.
• Rorschach and Fulgrim broadcast a message mourning the dead crew members and praising the loyalty of the survivors.
• Doom assembled an FTL Engine prototype while Trazyn asked about the odds of its test succeeding.
• Trazyn offered to build a Spirit-Banishing Death Zone to prevent psychic interference, explaining that it could harm psychic lifeforms.
• Doom warned Trazyn that the Local Universe was dangerous and said he would try persuading the Primarch if Trazyn provided basic Necron technology.
• Trazyn accepted Doom's terms, and they agreed to cooperate.

Rorschach discussed the fleet’s next move toward Imperium Nihilus with Fulgrim, then recruited Doom to help develop an FTL Engine using Necron technology. The three began a protected simulated trial, where Rorschach landed alone on the Ork-overrun forging world Galia and set out to find survivors, Doom, and Fulgrim.

• Rorschach told Fulgrim that the Primarch fleet should turn toward Imperium Nihilus, though entering it would require navigating without the Astronomican.
• Doom reported that Trazyn was supplying Necron technology and helping build a small Spirit-Banishing Death Zone while Doom worked on the FTL Engine.
• Rorschach instructed Doom to bargain hard with Trazyn but warned him that the Death Zone was dangerous, then explained the Throne Gelt simulated trial to Doom and Fulgrim.
• Doom and Fulgrim tossed their Throne Gelt into the air with Rorschach, starting the simulation and descending to the forging world Galia.
• Rorschach fought through a ruined factory and slaughtered a horde of Orks with the Scythe of Blood and Metal Ten Rings.
• Rorschach set off to search Galia for survivors and to locate Doom and Fulgrim.

The Lost Primarch arrived on the besieged Forging world, destroyed Ork landing pods and Deffkopters, and helped the Cadian defenders retake ground. After Lieutenant Mira reported that three Ultramarines had gone to confront the War Lord Black Skull, the Primarch set off toward their location.

• The Lost Primarch blasted through Ork landing pods and shot down Deffkopters, giving the Mortal Defense Force time to regroup.
• The Lost Primarch landed at the defenders’ position, where Lieutenant Mira identified herself as commander of the 203rd Regiment and asked about his origins.
• The Lost Primarch said he was from the 22nd Legion and asked whether anyone had seen a purple-gold Astartes or a figure in a Dark Green Cloak.
• Lieutenant Mira reported that three Ultramarines had headed to a nearby Titan manufacturing facility to find and kill the War Lord Black Skull.
• The Lost Primarch distributed heavy weapons and panacea capsules, then helped the Mortal Warriors and sentry turrets clear a large area of Orks.
• Lieutenant Mira gave the Lost Primarch a map and the Ultramarines’ location, and he flew off toward them.

The narrator arrived at the Orbital Elevator Tower as a Chaos Psychic Energy blast opened a Warp Rift, then fought through the demons to rescue Captain Titus and two Ultramarines. Titus revealed that Inquisitor Drogan, possessed by a Chaos traitor, had used the Ultramarines’ aid to open the rift.

• The narrator saw Chaos Psychic Energy strike the Orbital Elevator Tower and tear open a Warp Rift in the sky.
• The narrator spotted three Ultramarines surrounded by Chaos Demons and charged in to rescue them with the Scythe of Blood, Dawnbreaker Warhammer, and Metal Ten Rings.
• The narrator ordered the Ultramarines to follow and led them through the Chaos forces to shelter in a damaged building.
• Captain Titus and the two Ultramarines knelt before the narrator, whom they believed to be a Primarch.
• The narrator asked Titus what had caused the Chaos Invasion, and Titus explained that Inquisitor Drogan had been possessed and had used their help to open the Warp Rift.

The Primarch took the psychic energy source from the Ultramarines and split the battle: Captain Titus and two others would strike at the Ork War Lord Black Skull while the Primarch attacked the Warp Rift. After conventional weapons barely damaged the Orbital Elevator Tower, he used a Warlord-class Titan and the energy source to fire a psychic blast that began closing the rift.

• Captain Titus explained that the Chaos forces had invaded Galia and showed the Primarch the psychic energy source they had been trying to seize.
• The Primarch took the energy source, ordered Captain Titus and the other Ultramarines to kill Black Skull, and set off to destroy the Warp Rift.
• The Primarch fired Hellfire Missiles and a Volcano Cannon at the Orbital Elevator Tower, but Chaos Psychic Energy weakened the attack.
• Captain Titus told the Primarch that a Warlord-class Titan in the nearby Titan Forge Factory could use psychic energy to damage the rift.
• The Primarch fought through Bloodletters to reach the Titan Forge Factory and helped the Titan pilot activate its Volcano Cannon with the energy source.
• The Titan's psychic blast struck the Orbital Elevator Tower, causing greater damage and making the Warp Rift shrink.

The Primarch fought through the Orbital Elevator Tower and reached its summit after Captain Titus reported that the Orks had been defeated. There, the supposed Chaos Lord Nimeros revealed himself as the Weaver of Fates Carlos, who demanded an unspecified prize in Tzeentch’s name, and the Primarch prepared to fight him.

• Captain Titus reported that he had beheaded Black Skull and that the Orks had fallen into infighting, then said he and his companions were heading for the Orbital Elevator Tower.
• The Primarch landed at the tower and fought through the Chaos Astartes guarding its entrance.
• The Primarch battled Bloodletters, Plague Drones, and further Chaos Astartes as he climbed the tower, reaching its summit after around twenty minutes.
• The Primarch confronted Nimeros and realized the Chaos Lord was acting suspiciously calm despite the Warp Rift closing and his forces being defeated.
• Nimeros transformed into the two-headed birdman Carlos, who demanded something from the Primarch on Tzeentch’s behalf and offered him a place as Tzeentch’s foremost prince.
• The Primarch recognized Carlos and demanded to know how he wanted to die.

The Primarch realized Weaver of Fates Carlos and the Daemons of Tzeentch had come for the Mind Stone and refused their offer to join Tzeentch. Surrounded and sealed on the orbital platform, he charged Carlos with the Scythe of Blood as golden Psychic Flames shielded him from the Daemons’ sorcery.

• Weaver of Fates Carlos summoned eight Daemons of Tzeentch and demanded that the Primarch surrender something in exchange for their retreat.
• The Primarch guessed that Tzeentch wanted the Mind Stone embedded in his helmet.
• Weaver of Fates Carlos offered the Primarch the title of Tzeentch’s Eternal First Prince, but the Primarch rejected him and smeared Emperor’s Blood across the Scythe of Blood.
• Golden Psychic Flames burst from the Emperor’s Blood and dispersed Chaos Psychic Energy around the Primarch.
• Weaver of Fates Carlos threatened to seal the Primarch’s soul and home, while the eight Daemons formed a Chaos seal over the orbital platform.
• The Primarch launched himself at Weaver of Fates Carlos, and his armor withstood the Daemons’ sorcery as he charged with the flaming Scythe of Blood.

The Primarch fought Weaver of Fates Carlos on the orbital platform, gaining renewed strength and speed as he tore the daemon apart. He pinned Carlos down and unleashed a terrifying Psionic Ray from the Mind Stone, telling him to take all of its power.

• The Primarch exchanged blows with Weaver of Fates Carlos, but an unknown surge of Life Force healed his injuries and restored his stamina.
• The Primarch’s speed increased, and he used the Scythe of Blood to wound Carlos while dodging his attacks.
• Eight Daemons of Tzeentch and Pink Horrors joined the fight, but the Primarch’s Metal Ten Rings spread Green Poisonous Fog that killed them.
• The Primarch leaped onto Carlos’s back, tore off one of his wings, and brought him crashing onto the orbital platform.
• The Primarch pinned Carlos down and smashed apart one of his bird heads with flaming fists.
• The Primarch seized Carlos’s remaining head and fired a powerful Psionic Ray from the Mind Stone, telling Carlos to take all of its power.