The formation of two cruisers soon left the outer starport above Scintilla. The naval vessel named the Mission had not even had time to receive the blue livery of the Ultramarines Chapter; it had simply been fitted with an enormous Chapter emblem.
As one of Guilliman's personal guards, Calando knew exactly how to locate his Primarch.
But when the two vessels emerged from their Warp route one after the other, the massed fleet before them stunned everyone aboard.
Dozens of battleships, accompanied by over a hundred cruisers of various types and hundreds upon hundreds of destroyers and frigates, formed an immense fleet stationed in this open expanse of space.
From time to time, cruisers and Battle Barges disappeared into nearby transit points, heading for neighboring star systems.
Calando recognized it at a glance: the long-absent Second Fleet.
He had seen this fleet at the Primarch's side when the Indomitus Crusade first began.
Back then, the crusade fleets had almost filled all the space around Terra.
Once the crusade began, the Second Fleet had charged ahead into this Imperial enclave isolated by the Warp.
Nearly a century had passed, and this vanguard fleet was still fighting here.
The mortal soldiers aboard its ships had been replenished time and again. Quite a few vessels had even gone through two changes of captain.
But the conspicuous, distinctive vessel among the fleet filled Calando with a sense of familiarity.
The Retribution-class Battleship, Dawn of Fire.
Since the crusade began, the Primarch had traveled throughout the Milky Way aboard this battleship. Now, he had appeared in this region beyond the reach of the Emperor's glorious light.
The Great Rift obscured the Emperor's radiance from Holy Terra.
And as a son of the Emperor, Guilliman would once again spread the light of humanity's sacred father.
After