The bridge of the Herald of the Holy Word resembled a cathedral hollowed out from within. Its vaulted ceiling soared above everyone's heads, and dark gold ornamentation ran along every rib, glittering with tiny points of light in the spectral blue glow of the holographic projections.
Lorgar stood at the highest point of the bridge, on a slightly raised command platform. Ancient prayers were engraved into its jet-black metal railings, faintly visible beneath the lights.
One hand gripped the edge of the railing, and his black hair fell over his broad pauldrons. His face, tempered by countless wars yet still retaining its merciful contours, looked particularly serene in the dim light of the bridge.
Below him, a Word Bearers Company Captain was reporting on the war. His voice echoed low through the spacious bridge. "My lord Primarch, we have confirmed the liberation of the entire Millennium World."
"The last fallen hive city was cleared three standard days ago. Every remaining Chaos signal has disappeared from the star cluster charts."
"We completed the reclamation of the entire Millennium World within half a cycle and have pushed our defensive lines outward into three neighboring Star Systems."
The company captain paused before adding, "More than four hundred lost Imperial Fleets have now signaled their allegiance to us. They wish to join your crusade forces."
Lorgar did not immediately respond.
He lowered his gaze to the star chart on the command console, looking from the region of the Millennium World, now marked once more in the blue of safety, to the dark red Star Systems on its fringes that remained shrouded in Chaos Storms.
Everything was proceeding just as Lorgar had anticipated.
After the siege of Colchis ended, he had not lingered, celebrated, or even given his soldiers any more time to rest and