Warhammer: Dark Knights

"So, has he discovered the gift we left for him?"

"No. He's currently occupied with the Orks far to the south of his chosen capital world."

"Oh? He's already picked one? That was quick. How far is it from the gift?"

The chamber fell silent, broken only by the soft tapping of a datapad.

"About two systems away. And interestingly… it's currently being investigated by the Tech-Priest who created him."

"I see." The metallic clink of two components meeting echoed softly. "He's been given a good helper, then. I almost envy him."

"But he still needs time to rewrite the code and gain full access."

Another pause. The silence hung heavy before a tired voice finally spoke again.

"Do you think what we've done… was the right path?"

"I don't know. But we no longer have a choice. All we can do now is move forward."

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"My Lord, Grand Master Caden reported that they have link up with the Black Templars." A Honor Guard said with his mechanical voice.

"Master Valerion has engaged the Orks' remaining mechanized forces, while Grand Master Caden and the Black Templars are pushing toward the warboss's last known location."

Atharion stood silently for a moment, his eyes fixed on the hololithic display before him. Red and amber icons flickered across the map, marking battle zones, troop positions, and enemy movement.

"Good," Atharion said, his voice low and firm, still focused on the shifting lights. "Inform the 5th to ready themselves. The moment the xenos are fully engaged with Caden and the Templars, they will strike from the flanks."

"Your will." Honor Guard bow before turning to relay the order.

As the chamber returned to quiet, Atharion resumed studying the display, his gauntleted hand tapping slowly against the edge of the console. His other hand held a datapad—its contents scrolling with the latest report from Valentus.

According to the report, the Crusade is going on well. Many of the previous systems that still holding on have been subjugated with the arrival of new reinforcement.

'Space Wolves? Why are the here?'

Stormhowl Great Company of Space Wolves lead by the Baldur Stormhowl have arrived with his Battle Barge, Stormfang to join the Crusade.

During the beginning of the Crusade, Atharion have send a psychic message to the Space Wolves, more specifically, to Firetooth Great Company. But, because they are currently fighting in Segmentum Obscurus, they are unable to help them. They also have said that all Space Wolves are on their own mission, and Atharion can't expect any of them will arrive.

Their arrival on the Raptorus Rex, however, had not been without issue. Almost immediately, a minor clash broke out between them and the Angels of Wrath, a tradition between sons of the Lion and the Wolf.

Yet, to Valentus's surprise, Baldur had made a statement following the incident. He had told Valentus directly that he would be willing to submit to the chain of command—if that command came from Atharion himself.

Beyond the Space Wolves, other reinforcements had arrived as well. The 7th Company of the Imperial Fists, the 3rd Company of the Red Talons, and the 8th Company of the Obsidian Jaguars had all pledged their strength to the Crusade.

Their arrival filled the void left by the withdrawal of earlier Chapters. After the incident with Alpha Legion, the Raven Guard—battered and diminished—had retreated to their homeworld to recover. Other Chapters had also withdrawn, some recalled by their Chapter Masters for campaigns elsewhere, while others turned to confront rising threats within their own spheres of influence.

With the arrival of the new Chapters, the overall progress of the Crusade improved greatly. Worlds that were once considered too costly to conquer were now within reach. Some of these difficult worlds had been skipped earlier, marked for later, after the Warboss was dealt with. Others, which had once stopped the Crusade's advance, were now falling one by one.

Seeing this, Atharion began drafting a formal order to the Space Wolves, appointing Baldur Stormhowl as the commander of the newly formed Expeditionary Force Fenris. This force consisted of the Stormhowl Great Company of the Space Wolves, ten regiments of Imperial Guard, three armored regiments, one squadron of Thunderbolt fighters, and one squadron of Marauder bombers. Alongside their flagship, Stormfang, the fleet was reinforced with two Lunar-class cruisers, four Endeavour-class light cruisers, two squadrons of Sword-class frigates, and three squadrons of Cobra-class destroyers.

The previous Expeditionary Force, which had been serving as the vanguard, was ordered to fall back for resupply and replenishment. Expeditionary Force Fenris would now assume the vanguard role—a task well-suited to the sons of Russ.

After Atharion handed the order to an envoy to deliver back to the Star Fort, he returned to the stack of documents sent by Valentus—most requiring his direct approval.

As he continued reading through the documents, news arrived from the front—more specifically, from the 5th Company.

"You mean the assault failed?" Atharion asked, his tone sharp and disbelieving.

"Yes, my Lord." The messenger replied. "The size of the Warboss's personal guard was far larger than expected. Worse still, a sizeable number of Killa Kans appeared out of nowhere and inflicted heavy damage on the 5th Company."

"How heavy are the losses?" Atharion demanded, his voice cold.

"Five full squads were wiped out, my Lord, along with two Lord Sergeants. One of them was the chosen successor and pupil of the Grand Master." The messenger reported grimly.

"In addition, seven squads suffered heavy losses, rendering them combat ineffective. However, four of the critically wounded brothers have been successfully interred within Dreadnought sarcophagi."

Atharion stayed silent for a long moment, the weight of the report hanging heavily in the air. His gaze shifted to the servo-skull hovering at his side, its optics glowing faintly.

"Inform Eternal Vigilance to prepare Rylanor and his retinue, they will be reinforcing the 1st company."

The servo-skull gave a confirming beep before gliding away to relay the command.

Atharion turned back to the hololithic display, his eyes narrowing as he studied the shifting battle lines. "Caden and Galren are holding for now." He murmured to himself, "But the next assault must break the Ork warboss or this war will continue."

He then faced the messenger directly. "Send word to the Paladins. They will move to the frontlines and place themselves under the command of Grand Master Caden until the warboss is dead."

The messenger bowed sharply. "At once, my Lord."

When the messenger exited the room, Atharion exhaled, as he pick up another datapad. In the datapad, contain the information of all the future Black Crusade that will launch by Abaddon or the other Traitor or Chaos Warlords that he personal recorded.

"The 5th Black Crusade." Atharion muttered. Elysia Sector, which according to the Imperial Record, located at the Segmentum Obscurus, near the border with Segmentum Ultima is the site of Abaddon 5th Black Crusade, where he successfully summoned the Khorne Daemon Prince, Doombred. This resulting in the destruction of two Chapters, Warhawks and Venerators. Even the noble Blood Angels would pay a terrible price, sacrificing themselves to imprison the Daemon Prince.

Though this event was still far in the future, Atharion knew the time remaining was not as much as it seemed. He needed every moment to fortify his Realm, to ensure it could stand on its own if the Dark Knights were called away. A powerful garrison must be left behind to supervise and protect it from threats both within and without, when he left to face the horrors of the galaxy.

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"By the order of the Supreme Grand Master, you are summoned and commanded to serve the Chapter."

A chorus of deep, mechanical voices resonated through the chamber as the Techmarines stood at attention before a line of towering Dreadnoughts—ten Contemptors and four Deredeos. The cold light of the forge illuminated their ceramite hulls, each one marked by the scars of countless battles.

This assembly represented one of the most powerful strike elements the Dark Knights could bring to bear on short notice. Each Dreadnought was a walking relic of destruction, their weaponry capable of tearing through enemy armor and fortifications with terrifying ease. Most of these honored warriors were drawn from the 1st through 5th Companies, heroes who had fallen in battle during the Crusade and had been interred within the sarcophagi to continue their service. Many had earned their place here during the brutal engagements with the Orks currently raging across the warfront.

As the Techmarines began the awakening protocols, servo-arms and mechadendrites moved with mechanical precision, performing sacred rites and chanting binharic litanies. In a separate sanctum, Hestian oversaw the reactivation of a singular warrior—Rylanor. Unlike the others, Rylanor's sarcophagus was secured within its own chamber, surrounded by runes of protection and ancient cogitator systems. His status as the commander of this strike force—and his unique origin—demanded that his awakening be handled with the utmost care and reverence.

As the Techmarines continued their work, one by one the Dreadnoughts stirred from their slumber. Hydraulic systems hissed and servos groaned as the towering war machines came to life, their optics glowing with renewed light. Thanks to the Hellfrost system integrated into their sarcophagi, the process inflicted far less pain and mental strain than traditional awakening methods. This innovation also allowed the entombed warriors to remain active for longer periods, their minds sharper and less burdened by the madness that often plagued those bound within a Dreadnought's shell.

Each awakening was marked by the solemn recitation of the Canticles of Iron, the Techmarines voicing prayers both to the Emperor and the Omnissiah, honoring the heroes whose spirits now stirred within these walking engines of war.

Rylanor's optics flared as his systems fully powered up. His voice, deep and metallic, echoed through the chamber.

"What does Atharion need from me this time?"

Hestian, standing before the towering form, spoke calmly but firmly.

"There is a Warboss who refuses to die. The 5th Company's attack failed, and the Ork horde is still strong. Atharion has called for you and your retinue to break their line."

Rylanor's heavy frame shifted slightly, the sound of pistons and metal joints filling the room.

"Then we will kill this Warboss from his throne." He said, his voice like rolling thunder. "Is my retinue ready?"

"Yes," Hestian replied. "Ten Contemptors and four Deredeos stand ready to follow your command."

With a grinding roar of servos, Rylanor took his steps out of the Dreadnought bay. Moving out of the chamber, the other Dreadnoughts already outside and also moving towards the drop pod bay.

When inside the bay, the preparations were already underway. Drop pods further reinforce with additional plating, stood ready—runes of activation glowing faintly across their surfaces. Techmarines moved with mechanical precision, checking clamps, ignition systems, and guidance protocols, while chanting the litanies of descent.

Rylanor moved towards his assign pod, hydraulic arms locked around his frame, securing him into place with the hiss of pressurized seals.

One by one, the other Dreadnoughts followed, their towering frames vanishing inside their pods. The ramps slammed shut, each heavy impact echoing like a war drum across the bay.

"Final checks complete," a Techmarine intoned. "All pods locked and sealed. Coordinates set."

After a brief pause, the launch sequence commenced. One by one, the pods were hurled from the launch rails of the Eternal Vigilance, each release accompanied by a thunderous boom that shook the deckplates.

Breaking through the upper atmosphere, the pods became blazing meteors streaking across the sky. Their armored hulls glowed red-hot, shedding streams of fire as they tore through the clouds.

Below, the battle was already underway.

The moment Atharion's order arrived, Caden had wasted no time launching his attack. Marshal Galren and his Black Templars once again spearheaded the vanguard, but this time they were reinforced by fifty Terminators from the Dark Knights' 1st Company and the 2nd Auxilia Regiment, advancing in tight formation amidst the chaos.

The 5th Company, battered and bloodied from their earlier assault, had been pulled from the front lines. Their orders were now clear—protect the 9th Company's armored elements at all costs. The 9th, with its formidable Sicaran and Predator squadrons, was the hammer meant to smash the Orks' Killa Kans and mechanized core. At least, that was Caden's plan—until the Dreadnoughts arrived to deliver the killing blow.

For now, the rest of the forces were holding position, waiting. The final strike would not begin until Rylanor and his retinue landed, and when they did, the warboss's stronghold would be turned to rubble.