Horus Aximand stared at the video screen. "Alkahas's fleet—its energy readings are rising fast."
He had always felt there was something strange about The Great Obliterator's fleet.
He quickly checked the scrolling briefings.
Too many attacks are missing. The Great Obliterator is too desperate to rebuild his achievements. Most of the fire strikes have failed to produce any effective results.
"They've activated the portside guns!" Aximand shouted.
There was no Blackstone Fortress in the area covered by the port side.
There was only one target: their fleet.
At Aximand's words, dense clusters of scarlet Runes suddenly flared up.
Crack!
Cracks appeared beneath Horus Lupercal's feet. He looked toward Maloghurst.
"Send a message to Agnis and Huozhe immediately. The Exiles cannot be trusted. They have walked into an ambush."
As the Primarch's Attendants relayed the order, he stared at the traitor fleet.
They were firing as they advanced in interweaving lines, trying to cut off the route of retreat.
The energy readings captured by the Aether Reader kept climbing.
Trap. When did Nimrod acquire such a powerful Xenos Fortress? When did The Exiled side with Nimrod?
Horus searched through his memories. Although Nimrod had rescued Alkahas Phall and the others from Shana II during the Rangdan Xenocides, they had had little contact afterward.
A faint blue glow rose along the Lumen Lamp strips. "Devote yourself to me."
"You will receive more powerful warships. You will possess the strength to defeat The Emperor."
"No!" Horus folded his arms.
"I am allied with the four of you. You need me."
He spoke in the tone of a Cthonian ganglord. "You will give me what I need."
"Warships and power."
The whispers vanished, and colored lights crossed and overlapped.
Horus stared in silence as dense barrages crisscrossed.
The Kraken's bow faced the flank of