Peter had no idea what had happened aboard the Eternal Crusade afterward. But as time passed, the Vengeful Spirit sent a message to the entire Chaos Fleet: Warmaster Abaddon had slain Grand Marshal Sigismund in single combat. Then he sent the Grand Marshal's body back to the Imperial Fleet aboard a ship.
The Imperial Fleet had clearly realized defeat was inevitable once it received the Grand Marshal's body. The Admiral ordered the entire fleet to retreat at once, intending to flee the battlefield and preserve its remaining strength.
At that moment, the Chaos Fleet surged toward the Imperial Fleet like a pack of ravenous dogs. Unfortunately, their earlier hesitation had given the Imperials too much of a head start. Now that the Imperial Fleet was retreating at full speed, the Chaos ships couldn't catch up.
Grand Commander of the naval forces Valicar decisively abandoned the pursuit of the fleeing Imperial Navy and turned to attack Cadia's Orbital Defense System. Under the relentless barrage of countless guns, the system was swiftly reduced to a cloud of wreckage in the Void. The Chaos Fleet now had Cadia completely surrounded.
But this was hardly good news. The Imperial Fleet's retreat would inevitably prompt a call for reinforcements from across the Imperium. Word that the Chaos Fleet had broken through the Eye of Terror and entered the Material Universe had probably already spread.
The Imperium might be slow to react under ordinary circumstances, but when faced with something this serious, it moved quickly. Although Admiral Cassian Waldo's fleet had escaped, it still retained some strength. If fleets from several sectors received orders to join him, the balance of power would swing back the other way.
Their only option now was to act quickly and take Cadia. Grand Commander Valicar carefully considered the strategy. They