The beacon lit by Pharos illuminated the path for far more than just Fafnir's blood-brotherhood.
The Ruinstorm had descended without warning, leaving every ship that had not escaped the Warp before its arrival stranded and lost within it.
The raging aetheric currents destroyed most human vessels, yet the number of survivors remained immense.
After Macragge lit its beacon, sending its flickering signal into the Warp, survivors began arriving in the Macragge system from the Warp within hours, days, and weeks.
Most of those ships were solitary vessels. Judging by their battered hulls, all had endured prolonged torment and damage. Without the beacon's guidance, they might soon have foundered in the Sea of Souls.
The small joint fleet of three Legions that Fafnir now accompanied was one of the few fleet-sized groups among the survivors to emerge from the Mandeville Point.
The moment their ships stabilized in realspace, a communication request from the Ultramarines appeared on the vessels' cogitator screens.
A fully armed cruiser fleet sailed out from among the star forts and space stations, encircling the White Scars vessels while both sides maintained a wary posture of negotiation.
The cobalt-blue warships, along with the locations marked on the fleet charts, told them all they needed to know.
This was the Macragge system, located in the far eastern reaches of the galaxy.
Fafnir, chieftain of the blood-brotherhood, let out a long breath. By the Allfather and Russ, they had finally reached their destination.
"Please state your code within the Imperial order of battle, then follow our warships and dock at the nearest spaceport."
"Power down your weapon systems, bring your engines to idle, and maintain communications at all times."
As the Ultramarines' transmission came through, Gantula of the White Scars did not hesitate. He ordered his captain to comply.
As a