Indomitus Crusade

Everyone with a voice in the matter attended the meeting Guilliman had convened.

Chapter Master Calgar, the Captains of every Chapter, Saints, Tech-Priests, and many others had all gathered in the council hall of Hera Fortress, where Guilliman was stationed.

The fortress had an ancient history. It had already existed ten thousand years ago and had witnessed much extraordinary history.

Back during the Horus Heresy, Warp storms had raged, communication between the various segmentums had been severed, the Emperor had been trapped on Terra, and the many Loyalist forces had been left leaderless.

The Primarchs of the Three Legions had gathered here to discuss the choice that would determine humanity's future.

In the blink of an eye, ten thousand years had passed since then.

Everything had changed beyond recognition.

The long millennia had taken many things away and brought many things in return.

The marks left by countless invaders could still faintly be seen across Hera Fortress.

The Tyranids, Orks, and Chaos had all invaded this place before.

As an important defensive position of Macragge, Hera Fortress was always listed by the enemy as a priority target.

Not long ago, it had also been marked by Chaos forces as a place that had to be destroyed. They had dispatched vast numbers of Cultists, Chaos Warriors, and Daemons to invade it.

When Guilliman awakened, the Chaos forces had already reached the fortress interior. It had been filled with ruins and corpses.

Now, the place had largely been restored, and the bodies had all been removed.

The shattered marble pillars and floors had been replaced, while the broken streets had been repaired.

Several brand-new Wetware units had been installed in the Logis Engines used for tactical projections and data storage, allowing them to resume normal operation.

Guilliman looked around at the many heroes of the Imperium. If not for his identity as the Emperor's son—a Primarch—no one could have gathered so many high-ranking figures in one place.

Every person here possessed the authority to independently deploy and command Imperial fleets.

A single word from them could determine the future of millions of humans, or erase planets and individuals they deemed threats to humanity's survival.

Every person here possessed courage, strategy, and awareness of the greater whole. They held boundless love for humanity and unwavering loyalty to the Imperium. For the Imperium's continuation and humanity's survival, they would not hesitate to sacrifice others or themselves.

At the center of the council hall stood an oval table. As everyone took their seats, the machinery within it gave off a soft hum, and one tactical projection after another appeared in the air, hovering overhead.

These projections displayed the threats currently facing the Ultima Segmentum.

Cadia Fortress had fallen, and the Great Rift had already affected this place.

Daemons and Xenos ravaged human worlds.

The Imperial citizens living in fear desperately needed salvation.

Nearby, Tech-priests clad in grimy red robes and Servitors moved back and forth, maintaining the Logis Engines and various mechanical devices used throughout the hall.

It was worth mentioning that Logis Engines were computers that used human brains as their core components.

During the Golden Age, humanity had suffered a rebellion by intelligent AI. For that reason, the Imperium absolutely forbade the existence of robots and computers without human flesh and blood. This was one of the Imperium's red lines.

Anyone who crossed that line would be declared a traitor to humanity, and Imperial forces would spare no cost in hunting them down.

The human brains used by Logis Engines—their Wetware—came from unforgivable Imperial criminals or cloned brains produced by the Adeptus Mechanicus.

After undergoing special programming, these brains were placed inside hardened glass vessels. Vast quantities of data cables linked the brains to machines, thereby creating a Logis Engine.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Guilliman walked to his own place at the head of the table.

Everyone watched him, their eyes openly revealing Delirium and excitement.

Their gazes followed Guilliman wherever he moved.

To stand alongside a son of the Emperor was undoubtedly an immense honor for these loyal people, one worthy of remembrance for a lifetime.

Guilliman could feel those gazes, and he felt a measure of pressure as well.

Everyone was waiting for him to lead the Imperium and save humanity. Anyone would feel uneasy in such a situation. After all, he would be contending against gods. If he lost, it was game over.

"The Imperium's current situation remains extremely dire. Beyond Chaos's invasion, the rampages of Xenos races such as the Tyranids and Necrons have left us besieged from both sides. Speak freely of any thoughts or suggestions you have. There is no need to concern yourselves with status or rank."

Guilliman's voice was not loud, yet it carried immense force.

His voice echoed throughout the council hall, ensuring that everyone could hear him clearly.

"Regent, you must go to Terra. It is the center of the Imperium, the place where humanity's greatest concentration of elites can be found. There, you will gain the strength and resources needed to rebuild the Imperium of Man."

The Chapter Master of the Black Templars, High Marshal Amalrich, was the first to speak.

His reasoning was sound. Terra was the Imperium's most important capital world, and every elite capable of reaching Terra would go there.

Wealth, status—everything there was so alluring.

As the Emperor's son, a figure of myth born from His genes, Guilliman had every legitimate reason to return to Terra, humanity's place of origin. It had once also been called Earth.

He had the right to take control of the Imperium's highest authority, the Council of Terra, and restore the Regent's authority.

After hearing the Black Templars Marshal's words, Guilliman said, "Now is not the best time to return to Terra. We cannot save the Imperium all at once. We need preparation, and we need a stable rear. No one knows what Terra is like after the Great Rift. Returning rashly will only put us in a more passive position. The Five Hundred Worlds under Ultramar need to be saved. This is the best-preserved region in the entire Imperium, and it can provide us with enough warships and warriors."

Return to Terra?

Wouldn't the Emperor just burn him to ash with one blast?

Guilliman greatly doubted how long the secret of the Transmigrator soul within him could remain hidden before the Chaos Gods and the Emperor.

Before his identity was exposed, Guilliman decided to gather as many trusted followers as possible, build his own rear base, and strengthen his ability to protect himself.

More importantly, Terra and the entire Solar Segmentum were the territory of the High Lords of Terra, the Inquisition, the Ecclesiarchy, and the Adeptus Mechanicus.

There were certainly many Loyalists there, but there would also be many people obsessed with power. Such people would never willingly surrender the authority in their hands merely for the sake of loyalty.

Had Horus not been the same? When the Emperor established the Council of Terra and excluded the Primarchs and Space Marines, Horus had never been able to let it go. After Chaos tempted him, he chose betrayal and ignited the massive Horus Heresy.

Power was far too capable of blinding people.

If Guilliman went there, he would have to consolidate power, reform Terra, and unite the Imperium once more. The resistance involved would certainly be immense, and the slightest misstep could trigger unrest and turmoil.

It was not yet time to go there. Rather than waste time playing political balancing games, it would be better to build up his own army first and use overwhelming force to break the deadlock.

Guilliman's words sparked some discussion. No one raised much objection to his plan of first restoring Ultramar and using it as a rear base.

Ultramar was the collective name for the Five Hundred Worlds. Compared with other worlds of the Imperium, every world here could be called Heaven.

Every world possessed complete industry, medical care, and self-sufficient food supplies. On other Imperial worlds, such things were almost unimaginable.

Restoring order and production across the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar was an extremely important matter for saving the Imperium and humanity.

Guilliman put forward numerous war proposals, preparing to cleanse all of Ultramar and maintain the stability of this subsector.

The meeting's focus shifted accordingly toward how to pacify Ultramar.

After discussion, everyone agreed to launch a full-scale counteroffensive centered on Macragge.

Guilliman named this full-scale counteroffensive the Indomitus Crusade, signifying that humanity would not submit to the dark Destiny proclaimed by the Chaos Gods and would rise in resistance with all its strength.

When the meeting ended, Guilliman kept Tech-Priest Cawl behind.

He had several important matters to instruct him on privately, matters that would determine the future of the Imperium and humanity.

If you read without bookmarking, you'll all be sent to the Adeptus Mechanicus to join the glorious evolution into Servitors.