After the massacre on Isstvan V, the Night Lords returned to their core territories—the Nostramo sector, the Shi Family, and Kruun.
Every world within their core territories lay under the Night Lords' brutal rule, and they offered up their children to the Legion without hesitation.
Once the Night Lords' fleet had finished resupplying, it departed in batches for numerous targets across the Ghoul Stars.
Saramas, capital of the Saramas sector, was hailed as the jewel of the eastern galaxy.
Nakrid Saul had become an Archon of the Legion half a century ago, and had risen to prominence in the later years of the Great Crusade.
Ordered to conquer the Saramas sector, he brought a warband aboard three cruisers to the Saramas System.
Planetary Governor Mervin Kaelen stood on the balcony of his gubernatorial residence, looking up at the sky, staring as a midnight-blue Stormbird slowly drew near.
The steward came up behind him. "Governor, General Mord and the senators have all arrived."
Kaelen withdrew his gaze and strode quickly inside.
He had only just entered the circular council chamber and had not yet taken his seat when a senator in splendid robes stood up.
"Governor, let us surrender. Once we choose resistance, they will make us pay in blood."
"Yes. The Night Lords have ravaged half the sector. The governor of Selk refused the Night Lords' orders and defiled an Imperial monument, and was slaughtered for it."
The noble senator shrank back, his face pale.
"Saul skinned him himself and hung him on Lord Dorn's statue."
"We fight for the Imperium." A resolute voice broke through the uneasy murmurs.
Arcturus Mord, commander of the elite Solar Auxilia—the Saramas Nightwatch—stood.
The chamber fell into a moment of Silence. A dozen seconds later, an attendant hurried in.
"Nakrid—Saul—is here—"
The senators' faces