Blades and Crystal Cross

The outskirts of the Volus Galaxy had already become a boiling furnace of steel.

The Imperial Navy's vast main fleet crashed fiercely into the Black Legion's carefully laid blockade like an enraged beast.

The roar of massed macro-cannon fire tore through the Void. Deadly beams from the Lance Array wove a net of destruction, while swarms of torpedoes trailed long tails of flame as they pounced upon the twisted hulls of Chaos warships like a swarm of bees.

Explosions constantly blossomed against the cold backdrop of space. Torn warship wreckage tumbled and collided amid shockwaves like shattered stars.

Abaddon's fleet was like a venomous spider crouching upon its web, using its numerical superiority and home-ground advantage to mount layer after layer of interception.

The profane firepower of raider ships tore through Imperial cruiser armor. Assault craft driven by daemon engines clung like parasites, ramming, boarding, and turning steel corridors into bloody slaughterhouses.

The roars of Chaos Space Marines and the battle cries of Imperial soldiers intertwined over the comm channels as the dance of death unfolded across the sea of stars.

Guilliman stood watch on the bridge of Macragge's Honour, his blue-and-gold armor appearing especially grim beneath the red alarm lights.

He calmly analyzed the tactical star map, directing the fleet through Chaos's strangling encirclement as it pushed forward with difficulty, its objective aimed directly at Volus orbit.

Yet his gaze periodically swept over an inconspicuous region at the edge of the battlefield—there, an unusually massive Chaos battlecruiser, its structure warped and covered in profane runes and writhing flesh, was like a bloated venomous worm. Escorted by several heavily armed frigates, it was doing its utmost to avoid the main battlefield's fury as it tried to slip silently toward a precise point in Volus orbit.

That ship carried the final piece of Abaddon's plan to blockade the Solar System—a corrupted, modified Blackstone Spire! Once it reached its designated position and activated, the Warp routes near the entire Volus Galaxy would be completely twisted and sealed, forming an impassable core node of the "Iron Ring" and locking down Guilliman's fleet and the entire Solar System for good!

The interior of the Profane Maw had long since become a hellscape of flesh and steel.

The Adeptus Custodes squad that had departed in advance, along with several Sisters of Silence, were fighting a desperate and heroic battle within.

Like golden lightning and silent shadows, they darted through the twisted corridors.

The Adeptus Custodes champion swung his Guardian Spear. Every thrust sent foul flesh and broken metal flying, cleaving apart the charging Chaos Space Marines and warped daemon engines.

The Sisters of Silence's Soulless Field was like an invisible millstone. Wherever it passed, Chaos psychic power immediately dimmed and scattered. Daemonic projections shrieked in agony before vanishing, greatly weakening the traitors empowered by Warp blessings.

"For the Emperor! For Terra!" The Adeptus Custodes champion's roar echoed through the corridor reeking of sulfur and blood. His golden armor was covered in scorch marks and deep gashes, while the comrades at his side continued to fall.

They had only one objective—destroy the ship's engines, or destroy the corrupted Blackstone Spire, tightly guarded within the core chamber and radiating an ominous ghostly glow! Delay them! Delay them at any cost!

But the Chaos defenders were endless as a tide.

Abaddon had given them a death order: protect the spire at all costs.

Daemon-engine fire sealed off the vital corridors, while the profane sorcery of Chaos witches detonated along the edge of the Sisters of Silence's field, steadily draining their strength.

The Adeptus Custodes squad was like a tiger trapped in a mire. Every step forward cost blood, yet the core chamber remained far away.

The Imperial cruiser Swift Blade, carrying Glory and the others, had barely emerged from the Warp when it received a broken, heavily jammed distress signal and coordinate data sent by the Adeptus Custodes squad through a covert channel.

"Target confirmed: Chaos flagship Profane Maw, confirmed to be carrying a corrupted Blackstone Spire!" the captain reported urgently. "The Adeptus Custodes squad is conducting sabotage within, but they have suffered severe casualties and urgently require support! They cannot stop the spire from entering its designated orbit!"

"Top-priority target!" Glory's voice instantly became a drawn blade, stripped of all elegance and filled only with icy resolve. "Stop that ship from reaching Woles Orbit at any cost!"

"Launch assault pods! Organize a boarding team to support them immediately!" the captain ordered at once.

"There's no time!" Prinz Eugen's lazy tone carried a trace of urgency. "By the time you get ready and fly over there, it'll all be over!"

"We'll go ourselves!" Nimi's eyes gleamed with the thrill of battle.

Glory made her decision in an instant. "Agreed! Swift Blade, maintain distance and provide fire support! Spirit of Fire, this is Glory. Target coordinates have been transmitted! Top priority! Request immediate tactical intervention!" As she sent an urgent call through the Mind Network to the Spirit of Fire, still in transit, she exchanged glances with the other Valkyries.

No words were needed. Their understanding was already complete.

"Deploy ship rigging! Full-speed advance!" Glory gave the order!

Bzzzt—!

Five dazzling lights suddenly flared outside the observation windows of the Swift Blade! The Valkyries were instantly enveloped by their distinct ship rigging.

Five streaks of light tore through the Void, ignoring the chaotic stray fire and energy currents of the battlefield. Like five swords cast by gods, they plunged straight toward the Profane Maw, which was slowly but steadily advancing toward Woles Orbit!

"My God..." Every human crewman on the Swift Blade's bridge who witnessed the scene was stunned. They had only heard that these Valkyries were formidable; they had never seen them fight.

Crossing space in the flesh? Charging an enemy ship at such violent speed? It completely overturned their understanding of humanoid beings!

"Fire! Cover them!" The captain was the first to recover, roaring hoarsely.

The cruiser's macro-cannons and laser turrets swung around, pouring furious fire upon the escort ships around the Profane Maw and the Chaos gunboats attempting to intercept the Valkyries.

Inside the Profane Maw.

The few surviving Adeptus Custodes and Sisters of Silence had been forced back into a relatively spacious chamber filled with massive energy conduits and profane altars.

Their backs pressed against the cold metal walls. They were covered in wounds, their golden armor dull and lightless, while the Sisters of Silence's field was on the verge of collapse.

Before them came a tide of Chaos Terminators, fanatical Chaos cultists, and twisted daemon engines.

"For the Blood God! Crush them!" A Chaos Lord clad in profane power armor let out a bloodthirsty roar and charged forward, brandishing a burning Chainaxe.

The Adeptus Custodes champion gritted his teeth and prepared to meet the final charge.

The Sisters of Silence gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes holding only pure resolve.

Then, in that moment of despair!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Five deafening impacts, as though they would tear apart the entire warship, came from different directions! Heavy Adamantium armor was violently pierced! Five massive breaches exploded across the chamber walls, and the cold vacuum of space rushed in at once, sucking nearby Chaos cultists straight out into the Void, where they twisted silently before bursting apart!

Blinding light streamed through the breaches. Amid the billowing smoke and flying metal fragments, five figures radiating powerful energy fluctuations descended like Valkyries, stepping across the shattered deck as they boldly stormed into this hellscape!

"Take them down!" Glory's voice rang out like the horn of judgment as the main guns of her ship rigging instantly locked onto the charging Chaos Lord!

"Worthless trash in the way!" Prinz Eugen's lazy voice carried icy killing intent. Her massive force-field shield slammed forward, knocking several charging daemon engines away like toys and crushing them!

"For order!" Prince of Wales spoke in a cool voice as her triple-mounted heavy guns erupted with a destructive roar, blasting a bloody breach through the dense ranks of Chaos Terminators!

Joan of Arc's holy light descended, soothing the exhausted bodies of the Adeptus Custodes and Sisters of Silence while driving away the foul presence around them.

Nimi's secondary guns swept like Death's scythe, precisely harvesting the Chaos cultists exposed to her firepower.

The Valkyries' arrival instantly stabilized the battle!

Their overwhelming firepower, solid defenses, and precise coordination tore open the Chaos Daemons' encirclement!

"Reinforcements!" The Adeptus Custodes champion was reinvigorated, all exhaustion swept away. His Guardian Spear once again burst with golden light that banished evil. "The spire is beneath the core engine room! They're trying to force-start the engines and rush into orbit! Stop them!"

"Understood!" Glory answered. Her ship rigging opened fire at full power, countless bolts of light blasting into the Chaos Daemons and inflicting mass casualties in an instant, clearing a path for the Adeptus Custodes and Sisters.

The group merged into an unstoppable torrent and charged toward the deepest reaches of the warship, toward the core chamber where the Blackstone Spire stood!

On the main battlefield.

Guilliman remained as steady as a mountain, calmly directing his fleet against the Black Legion's frenzied assault.

Every macro-cannon broadside from Macragge's Honour turned a Chaos warship into burning wreckage.

He was not impatient. On the tactical star map, the Profane Maw's marker was being tightly pursued by the Valkyries' signals.

He was waiting.

"Warmaster! The Profane Maw has been hit by a powerful boarding assault! The Adeptus Custodes have joined up with them and are advancing on the spire core!" A terrified call came over the Chaos communications channel.

Abaddon's scarlet electronic eye snapped toward that direction. The tactical display clearly showed five powerful energy signatures moving at high speed within the Profane Maw!

Alarm bells rang in his mind. "Damn it! Order the Claw of Destruction squadron to disengage from the main battlefield and support the Profane Maw immediately! Protect the spire at any cost!"

A formation of several well-equipped Chaos fast-strike cruisers immediately attempted to turn around.

"Trying to leave?" A cold curve touched Guilliman's lips. "Concentrate fire! Pin that formation down! All assault craft, tie them up! Don't let them go cause trouble!"

The Imperial fleet's fire immediately became more precise and violent, clamping down hard on the Claw of Destruction squadron. Assault craft swarmed them like mad dogs, ramming with their hulls and firing torpedoes at point-blank range, firmly delaying their attempt to provide support.

Abaddon was furious and alarmed. Just as he was about to mobilize more forces, an unfamiliar signal suddenly lit up on the tactical screen! Its position was right beside the Profane Maw!

"Unknown vessel emerging! Class unidentifiable! Stable! Not Chaos! Not Eldar! Not Imperial!"

The next second, a sharply angular warship bearing a huge Crystal Cross insignia on its prow appeared from spatial ripples as though tearing through a curtain!

A Hilling Empire cruiser—the Spirit of Fire!

The moment its enormous hull emerged, it carried the weight and oppressive presence of a veteran of countless battles.

Its armor was heavy and its turrets densely packed. Completely unlike the styles of Imperial or Chaos vessels, it radiated the practical steel strength of ruthless functionality.

"Spirit of Fire! It's the Spirit of Fire!" On Guilliman's flagship bridge, Carter and the other Spartans, who had been standing behind Obi-Wan like unmoving rocks, nearly shouted in excitement at the same moment when they saw the familiar silhouette and iconic Crystal Cross insignia!

Guilliman keenly caught their reaction and asked curiously, "Captain Carter, is this ship special?"

Carter turned to Guilliman, his voice full of pride and belonging. "My Lord Regent, that is the Spirit of Fire! It's our home! Our entire company of brothers is aboard!" He clenched his fist. "They're here. That Chaos flagship is finished!"

A sharp gleam flashed in Guilliman's eyes, and his heart settled.

He looked at the tactical display, the smile at his lips deepening.

"Excellent!" Guilliman's voice brimmed with confidence. "Then our task is to ensure that Abaddon and his main fleet go nowhere!" He looked toward Abaddon, who was frantically maneuvering his fleet in an attempt to break through the blockade and support the Profane Maw. "Hit them hard! Keep him pinned down!"

The appearance of the Spirit of Fire was like a basin of ice water dumped over Abaddon.

His scarlet electronic eye stared fixedly at the unfamiliar warship. Tactical data streams flickered wildly, yet failed to analyze its exact combat strength.

But an extremely ominous premonition seized him.

"What ship is that?! Open fire! Sink it!" Abaddon let out a furious roar.

Yet the Spirit of Fire reacted faster!

Several massive missile silos along its hull opened at once!

"Identify friendly signals. Main guns charging! Magnetic acceleration coils ready!" The intelligence officer's calm voice sounded across the bridge.

"Fire!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Several thick solid metal shells fired by superheavy magnetic acceleration cannons tore through the Void with terrifying kinetic force. Like spears of divine punishment, they precisely slammed into several heavily armed frigates surrounding the Profane Maw!

At the same time, dense swarms of missiles burst forth like bees leaving their hive, trailing flames as they surged toward the Profane Maw's engine nozzles and weapon arrays!

Precise! Efficient! Deadly!

Before Abaddon's support fleet could even approach, the Spirit of Fire's ferocious and accurate firepower instantly battered it senseless!

One frigate was pierced straight through and broke apart!

Several others were struck in vital areas by missiles, erupting into flames and losing all combat capability!

Like a steady giant, the Spirit of Fire firmly held the only route the Profane Maw could take toward Woles Orbit, its cold gun barrels locked upon the Chaos flagship carrying the deadly spire.

Its arrival completely announced the beginning of the end for Abaddon's Iron Ring plan!