Chapter Summaries

The Krieg forces launched the carriages of No. 14 Mechanical Behemoth onto the battlefield and fought through the Degraded Ones with support from Imperial armor. Lieutenant Terry detected an approaching Warhound Titan, and Benedict realized it was a Degraded Titan with others following behind.

• The Adeptus Mechanicus priest triggered the explosive bolts, launching the Mechanical Behemoth's carriages across the battlefield.
• A carriage landed and released Krieg soldiers, who attacked the Degraded Ones as its turrets supported them.
• A Degraded One slaughtered Krieg soldiers until a Leman Russ tank destroyed it with an explosion.
• Benedict's armored forces advanced against the Degraded Ones, while Lieutenant Terry detected signs of an approaching Warhound Titan.
• Benedict ordered the Doomblades to prepare and saw a bone-white Degraded Titan emerge, with more following behind it.

Benedict and five Doombaldes attacked a Degraded Warhound, discovering it had no Void Shields but could endure heavy fire with layers of regenerating bone. As the Warhound’s energy attacks threatened the Doombaldes, Benedict ordered another volley aimed at its healing wounds.

• Benedict ordered the Cadian Hardstone to fire a test shot at the Degraded Warhound and discovered it had no Void Shields.
• The five Doombaldes fired at the Warhound, carving craters into its bone armor without stopping it from fighting.
• The Warhound launched a mass of black water at the Cadian Hardstone, but Shom halted the vehicle and avoided a direct hit.
• The Warhound struck another Doombalde with crimson energy, forcing its energy-dissipation system to vent heat and protect the crew.
• After the Doombaldes fired a second volley, Benedict ordered them to target the Warhound’s healing wounds.

Benedict’s forces destroyed a Degraded Warhound with help from Space Marines, then continued toward the fifth defensive line. Inside the Hell Bastion, Warsmith Drau dismissed the Dark Mechanicum’s confidence in Degraded Titans and argued that stronger Imperial weapons could easily destroy them.

• A Doomblade overheated and its crew burned to death, while the Degraded Warhound continued fighting and destroyed a squadron of Leman Russ tanks.
• Benedict’s troops resumed firing, but their Doomblades struggled to penetrate the Degraded Warhound’s shell.
• Space Marines arrived with jump packs and power weapons, quickly dismantled the Degraded Warhound, and flew toward the other Degraded Ones.
• Benedict overcame his hesitation and ordered the remaining troops to advance until no living men remained in the 101st Armoured Regiment of Cadia.
• Jielikelei reported to Warsmith Drau that Imperial forces had reached the fifth defensive line, and Drau berated him.
• Drau rejected the Dark Mechanicum’s claim that Degraded Titans would be important to the offensive, arguing that heavier Imperial weapons could destroy them.

Warsmith Drau considered the Dark Mechanicum’s demands for living captives and Blackstone as he assessed the defenses around Blackstone Spire No. 7 and the immense forces fighting across Cadia. He chose to hold his position and reflected on the scale of the war’s armies and fleets.

• Drau discussed how Degraded Ones could overwhelm Imperial forces, while the Dark Mechanicum demanded living people and Blackstone in exchange for them.
• Drau assessed the fortified corridor before Blackstone Spire No. 7 and decided that defending his position was preferable to attacking.
• Drau contrasted his forces with the enormous Imperial and Chaos armies converging on Cadia, including the Titan Legions battling on the Second Continental Shelf.
• Drau recalled turning over eight billion captives to create a flesh ball and concluded that mortal population numbers mattered less to him than warships.
• Drau counted Abaddon's, Typhus's, and the other Chaos fleets, and disapproved of warlords using space hulks as flagships.

Drau learned how Abaddon’s surprise attack exploited Cadia’s strange conditions, but the Imperial fleet held a defensive line around The Rock until the Warp storm began. As Chaos pressed its assault with Degraded Ones that could infest and assimilate warships, Abaddon assured the alarmed warband leaders that he controlled them.

• Drau learned the Imperial fleet deployments around Cadia and realized Abaddon had timed his attack to exploit the Blackstone Spires’ disruption.
• The Imperial fleet held a strong defensive line around The Rock, and Abaddon slowed the siege while waiting for the Warp storm sorcery to begin.
• The Warp storm struck Cadia, unleashing Chaos forces aboard Imperial ships as Abaddon resumed his assault.
• Abaddon deployed more than thirty Degraded Void Stations, whose fast Degraded Floaters attached to Imperial warships and bred Degraded Worms inside them.
• Drau feared the Degraded Ones could assimilate Chaos ships as well as Imperial ones, but Abaddon told the warband leaders they could activate and shut down the creatures.

Abaddon’s Deathmatch Cage trapped the Imperium and Chaos fleets until an Ork armada led by Ironhide burst into the battle and attacked both sides. Commissar Yarrick used the chaos to guide the Imperium fleet out, leaving Chaos and the Orks fighting inside the cage.

• Drau planned to collect his payment from Abaddon after Cadia fell and retreat to a remote star system to continue his research.
• Abaddon trapped the Chaos and Imperium fleets in the Deathmatch Cage as the Imperium fleet suffered heavy losses defending The Rock.
• Several hundred space hulks and an Ork fleet emerged from the Warp, and the Orks attacked both Chaos and the Imperium while shouting that they would take Abaddon's head for Boss Ironhide.
• Abaddon ordered the Planet Killer to fire its Armageddon Gun at Gork's Head, but the Orks' many shield generators endured the blast and the fortress returned fire.
• Commissar Yarrick announced that he had completed his task, and the Imperium fleets escaped through a weak point in the Deathmatch Cage.
• The Chaos and Ork fleets remained trapped in the shattered cage, fighting one another.

Drau learned that Aeldari had entered the battle for Cadia and left to confront the Imperial advance and capture xenos for experiments. Carl Bohar and Amalaga discussed the arrival of Subjective One and their plan to exploit his mortal weaknesses, regardless of how the battle for Cadia ended.

• Drau dismissed Abaddon's reliance on sorcery, while the Dark Mechanicum priest defended Abaddon's ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Drau explained that his defensive lines were meant to wear down the Imperial army before his rested troops counterattacked.
• The Dark Mechanicum priest detected abnormal energy fluctuations and concluded that Aeldari had entered Cadia through branches of the Webway.
• Drau left the command room to observe the battle and capture Aeldari, while the priest sent a coded message to Carl Bohar.
• Carl Bohar told Amalaga that Craftworld Aeldari were active on Cadia, and Amalaga identified them as scouts for Subjective One.
• Carl Bohar said they could manipulate Subjective One by exploiting the weaknesses of his mortal shell.

Carl Bohar, Amalaga, and Carlos coordinated a plan to distract the Subjective One while preparing a hidden alliance against him. Carlos traded a Webway gate key for a historical seal, then introduced Observer as a new ally.

• Carl Bohar confirmed that he and the Dark Mechanicum were ready to bring the contract to the Machine God on Mars.
• Carlos outlined four open threats meant to occupy the Subjective One, while Amalaga identified several hidden preparations involving the Chaos Gods and their servants.
• The Deceiver told Amalaga that Tzeentch might betray their alliance and instructed him to investigate Tzeentch and give a Webway gate key to Carlos.
• Amalaga exchanged the key for a historical seal filled with knowledge, which Carl Bohar seized to study.
• Carlos introduced Observer, whose messages flooded Carl Bohar and Amalaga's minds.

Amalaga briefly recovered suppressed memories of the universe’s death before the Deceiver subdued him again, while Tzeentch prepared the next stage of his Great Plan with Carlos, Rokasna, and Vect. Carlos received the Webway Key and a time marker, then prepared for the coming appearance of the Biel-Tan Craftworld.

• Carlos returned the historical sealed artifact to Carl Bohar and hinted that his master’s Great Plan was only beginning.
• Carl Bohar and Amalaga examined the artifact’s unfamiliar technologies, and Amalaga remembered exploring beyond the Milky Way and seeing the universe’s graveyard.
• The Deceiver suppressed Amalaga’s resurfaced memories and resistance, after which Amalaga proposed recreating the artifact’s contents in the developing creation.
• Tzeentch trained Rokasna to control his unstable illusory body and summoned Carlos into the Imaginary Reflection of All Things.
• Carlos told Tzeentch that the Deceiver had given him the Webway Key, and Tzeentch showed him a time marker.
• Carlos withdrew with the Webway Key and prepared with Vect for the Biel-Tan Craftworld’s arrival.

Dimit and Olwen fought off Warp Talons amid the Imperium’s collapsing assault after Harbinger bombers destroyed several mechanical behemoths. The battle’s next threat arrived as Warsmith Drau advanced with daemon engines, blocking Dimit’s view.

• Harbinger bombers destroyed five mechanical behemoths, allowing Iron Warriors and other Chaos forces to counterattack the Imperium army.
• Olwen warned the wolves about Warp Talons emerging from a corpse-filled carriage and charged into battle.
• Dimit blocked a Warp Talon’s attack on Olwen and used his engineering equipment to wound it.
• Olwen killed the Warp Talon champion and helped drive back the remaining attackers.
• Long Fangs opened fire as daemon engines approached, and Dimit saw Warsmith Drau arrive with Forgefiends and other creations.

Warsmith Drau and his daemon engines overwhelmed Olwen's Space Wolves and Dimit's Dark Angels, leaving them close to defeat. An Aeldari voice announced that reinforcements had arrived, but Drau immediately fired on a Warp Spider emerging from the Webway.

• Drau taunted Olwen and Dimit before whipping his Forgefiends into a more violent attack.
• A Forgefiend devoured a Blood Claw, and another crushed an Old Wolf beneath its fist.
• Olwen and the Old Wolves charged to create openings for the Long Fangs, while Dimit prayed for the machine spirits to aid them.
• Olwen was injured fighting the Forgefiends, and Dimit feared their attack would fail before they could support Chapter Master Azrael.
• An Aeldari voice announced that the newcomers had come to help and asked the Space Marines not to fire on them.
• Drau recognized the arriving Aeldari and shot a Warp Spider as it emerged from a minor branch of the Webway.

Warp Spiders brought Rogal Dorn, Perturabo, Marshal Helbrecht, and their warriors to confront Warsmith Drau. Drau recognized Perturabo, asked where he had been, and learned that the Iron Lord had joined the Imperium to atone for his past mistakes.

• Warsmith Drau attacked a Warp Spider, but the Spider’s psychic charm blocked his plasma blast before his squad placed teleportation beacons and vanished.
• Drau gathered his Daemon Engines and ordered them to fire at the figures teleporting in, but he and the machines sensed a powerful presence.
• Rogal Dorn and Perturabo arrived with Lamenters Terminators, Marshal Helbrecht, and the Sword Brethren.
• Perturabo identified the kneeling Iron Warrior as Drau from his repaired armor and recalled his designation as a recruit from the 7th Company.
• Drau asked Perturabo where he had been, and Perturabo said he had reconsidered his life, joined the Imperium, and intended to make up for his mistakes.

Perturabo tried to persuade Drau to return to the Imperium, admitting that his own failings had caused the Iron Warriors’ suffering. Drau rejected his father’s change of heart and shot him with a plasma bolt, leaving Perturabo overwhelmed by regret.

• Drau reacted with confusion and resentment when Perturabo said the Iron Warriors would join the Imperium.
• Drau confronted Perturabo, demanding to know why he had abandoned his old purpose.
• Perturabo admitted responsibility for the Iron Warriors’ mistakes and urged Drau to fight for humanity within the Imperium.
• Drau recalled the dead and rejected Perturabo’s appeal, declaring that he would remain cold and merciless.
• Drau pushed Perturabo’s hand away and fired a plasma bolt into his face, while Perturabo was consumed by regret.

Drau challenged Perturabo to prove his teachings, and Perturabo destroyed the daemon engines Drau sent against him. After Perturabo knocked Drau down, Drau rejected calling him Father and launched one final attack.

• Drau told Perturabo he was following his father's teachings, and Perturabo demanded that he prove what he had learned.
• Drau whipped the daemon engines into a frenzy, but Perturabo crushed the Forgefiends and tore a Heldrake in half before sending his Iron Wings to destroy the others.
• Drau charged Perturabo on a Hellstalker, but Perturabo knocked him from his mount and tore the daemon engine apart.
• Drau removed his helmet and told Perturabo he would have called him Father in the past.
• Drau sprang up with his last strength and struck at Perturabo with his halberd-axe.

Perturabo mourned Drau and recognized his own responsibility for the Iron Warriors’ suffering. He summoned the Iron Warriors to join the Imperium on Cadia, and Rogal Dorn followed with a message of his own.

• Rogal Dorn left the scene as Perturabo broke Drau’s halberd-axe and kicked him into a carriage.
• Drau told Perturabo that he had attacked him because Perturabo had once kicked Drau’s captain to death, then asked whether he had lived up to his father’s expectations.
• Perturabo praised Drau, and Drau died in his hand; Perturabo realized the Iron Warriors had suffered under his shadow.
• Perturabo tore a daemon from Drau’s soul, let the soul disperse into the Warp, and vowed to retrieve every Iron Warrior’s soul.
• Perturabo asked ten Lamenters Terminators to help him, then broadcast a request for all Iron Warriors to join the Imperium’s battle line.
• Rogal Dorn began a broadcast introducing himself and cautiously addressing the successor Chapters of the Imperial Fists.

Dorn and Perturabo announced that they had returned to the Imperium and reconciled, leaving Imperial and Chaos forces stunned. Abaddon mistook their nearby coordinates for an Imperial deception and ordered Harken Worldclaimer to find and torture those he believed responsible.

• Fulgrim and Jaghatai discussed Dorn’s broadcast, and Jaghatai departed Biel-Tan with the Big Canteen mixed fleet to attack the Chaos fleet.
• Lin Fan boarded a Void Phoenix Fighter with Yilafren to confront major battlefield threats, while Fulgrim and Yvraine stayed to defend Biel-Tan.
• Warmaster Liss struggled to explain to his officers what the return of Rogal Dorn and Perturabo meant.
• Abaddon examined the coordinates in the broadcasts and concluded that the Imperium had fabricated the reconciliation announcement to weaken Chaos morale.
• Abaddon ordered Taremarus to send Harken Worldclaimer to the coordinates to capture and torture the supposed Inquisitor and Adeptus Mechanicus priests behind the broadcasts.

The Iron Warriors erupted into fury after receiving messages claiming Perturabo had joined the Imperium and hearing a voice they believed belonged to Rogal Dorn. Warsmith Claude traced the messages to coordinates near Blackstone Tower Seven and contacted Smith Drau’s line, where Drau’s adjutant revealed that Drau had been killed.

• Iron Warriors and Black Templars turned the war zone into a brutal battlefield as their forces attacked each other without mercy.
• Warsmiths cursed the messages about Perturabo and argued over whether the voice belonged to the Iron Lord, while Toruvulf and Barkel exchanged threats.
• Warsmith Claude muted the channel and shared a map showing that the two coordinates lay near Blackstone Tower Seven, within Smith Drau’s area.
• Claude called Smith Drau and, mistaking his adjutant for an enemy, threatened to crush the defenses.
• Jielikelei identified himself as Drau’s adjutant and told Claude that Drau had been killed.

Claude spoke with Perturabo, who asked him to stop the Iron Warriors’ encirclement of the Black Templars and called him his child. Claude told the other Warsmiths that their father was present and had ordered them to let the Black Templars go.

• Claude heard Perturabo’s voice over the communicator and pledged his loyalty to him.
• Perturabo asked Claude to stop the encirclement of the Black Templars, and Claude agreed after Perturabo called him his child.
• After the call ended, Claude cried, then told the other Warsmiths that Perturabo was there and had ordered them to release the Black Templars.
• The Warsmiths fell silent after Claude told them they could call Perturabo Father.

Marshal Amana and the Imperial forces trapped on Cadia learned that the Chaos Legions had offered them a route out of the encirclement. Chaplain Uss accepted the Iron Warriors’ proposal as a test of the reports about the Primarchs’ return, despite the Ecclesiarchy bishop’s objections.

• The Iron Warriors’ Havoc squads kept the Black Templars pinned down while Degraded Ones strained Imperial forces across Cadia.
• Marshal Amana questioned whether nearby Space Wolves or Dark Angels could verify the reports, but Chaplain Uss said communications were disrupted.
• Claude told Amana that the Chaos forces would leave the Imperium troops a way out, prompting Amana to threaten him before Uss took over the conversation.
• Chaplain Uss confirmed that the offer was not a trap, and Claude swore that his forces would not attack the Imperium troops or let others attack them.
• Uss accepted the offer, explaining that it would test whether the reports of the Primarchs’ return were credible, while the Ecclesiarchy bishop condemned his decision.

Marshal Amana led the Imperium forces through a breach in the Iron Warriors' encirclement after noticing divisions among the traitors. The passage remained peaceful until an Ecclesiarchy bishop attacked Claude with a sacred relic, and Claude restrained himself because of his father's mission.

• The Imperium forces prepared for a final march, and Marshal Amana led the Black Templars, Cadian Guard, Battle Sisters, and Ecclesiarchy crusaders toward the breach.
• Amana observed Iron Warriors who appeared proud, melancholy, or resentful, and wondered whether unverified news had divided them.
• Claude ordered the Iron Warriors to open a road and lower their weapons as the Imperium forces passed through.
• The Ecclesiarchy bishop hurled a sacred relic at Claude, but it failed to harm him and instead destroyed a daemon engine.
• Claude explained that the Iron Warriors were Astartes, then flicked the bishop away while holding back because of his father's mission.