To Davin

Detailed intelligence from Samus lay spread across the desk. The Second Imperium’s four great leaders sat around the round table, carefully analyzing their next strategic move.

"According to Sanguinius’s prophetic warning, Davin harbors an unknown enemy. Even Primarchs may face a life-or-death crisis there. An enemy of that caliber is no ordinary threat. We must strike hard."

"Lion, Sanguinius, and I will go to Davin together. Lox, you will be responsible for supporting us."

Guilliman spread his hands across the table, his gaze shifting back and forth before finally settling on Lox’s face.

"You understand what I mean…"

Lox saw through Roboute’s hesitation. He merely shrugged. "It’s nothing more than bringing out some forbidden technology again to cover for you. After all, Sanguinius has already foretold that this journey will be extremely dangerous."

Lox said firmly, "I’ll do everything I can. At the very least, I can get you out of there alive."

Guilliman let out a breath. He did not want to keep burdening his old friend with requests, but the situation was exceptionally grim.

"Once we settle matters on Davin, we must set out for Terra, no matter what."

Lion El’Jonson spoke with absolute resolve, allowing no room for compromise or retreat.

"Sanguinius’s prophecy mentioned that he would appear on Terra and join the Emperor in the final battle against Horus. That means he can reach Terra. What about us?" Guilliman was puzzled.

"This concerns the strategic role I have assigned to you, Roboute. If the Webway cannot take all of us away, then you must remain behind."

The moment Lion El’Jonson said those words, Guilliman could no longer hold back his roar.

"What do you mean by that? Why should I be the one left behind? Do you think there is a problem with my loyalty?"

Lox realized that the two had started butting heads again, and his head immediately began to ache.

When they were apart, both were calm and wise figures, yet whenever they came together, all kinds of bizarre conflicts arose.

You could not stand the sight of me, and I could not stand the sight of you, yet we had no choice but to get along.

He immediately spoke up to dissuade Guilliman and stem his anger.

"Guilliman, we are not the only ones trying to reach Terra as quickly as possible to support the loyalists. The traitors are also gathering all their strength. Those traitors scattered across the galaxy are heading for the Solar System to assemble. Someone has to hold them back."

After his overheated mind cooled somewhat, Guilliman immediately understood.

They were right. The three Primarchs could not all leave. At least one had to remain behind to command the armies in the rear. They would form another encirclement outside the traitors’ encirclement.

It was a very primitive, straightforward philosophy of war: surround the point and strike the reinforcements.

"My original plan was to use the Tuchulcha Engine’s extraordinary mobility to travel to every traitor Legion’s homeworld and unleash merciless destruction upon their home planets. That would undoubtedly greatly undermine some of the traitors’ will to fight."

Even in the thirty-first millennium, humanity’s philosophy of war still inherited much from the past.

Guilliman would surround the point and strike the reinforcements, weakening the enemy’s supporting forces.

Lion would raid the enemy’s home ground, using a mutual-destruction strategy to weaken their will to fight. A Legion’s homeworld was undoubtedly its most important and sacred place, bound to its Legion culture. No Legion would simply stand by and allow its homeworld to be captured and destroyed.

Moreover, homeworlds were where Legions trained new blood and stored precious equipment and technology. Most of their accumulated resources were kept there. The consequences of having their nest destroyed were obvious.

"Lion, what is the Tuchulcha Engine?" Guilliman’s gaze turned hostile.

"A technological creation capable of greatly reducing the effects of Warp storms and allowing Warp travel to proceed normally. It is a secret of the First Legion."

At this point, Lion no longer had any reason to conceal it. Hoarding secrets from allies when they had reached the stage of a final battle and counteroffensive was the sort of thing only fools would do.

Another damned secret.

Guilliman simmered with frustration. Lion had never truly opened his heart to him.

"However, I have changed my mind. Rather than disrupting the enemy’s footing in the rear, it would be better to go directly to Terra and aid the Emperor. The Dark Angels exist because of the Emperor, so naturally we should shed our last drop of blood for him."

At a time like this, having fewer troops became an advantage. The Webway, with its limited capacity, could carry away the Dark Angels and Blood Angels, while the vast Ultramarines could not all be transported.

At this point, the overall strategy had been decided. Once the matter on Davin was resolved, the two Angel Legions would depart first and travel through the Webway to reinforce Terra. Guilliman would remain in the rear with the army pressing forward, while also blocking the arrival of traitor reinforcements.

Everyone accepted this plan. There was nothing wrong with the overall strategy Lion had laid out; it was indeed the optimal solution.

However, before they set out in earnest, Lox decided to make a rather risky choice.

He would bring Curze, who was imprisoned in the Shadow Prison beneath Macragge.

"Curze’s prophetic ability is stronger than Sanguinius’s. His visions may help us avoid some troublesome problems. Besides, the combat power of a Primarch may prove useful."

That was how he answered when Guilliman questioned his decision.

"Do not worry that the Night Haunter will turn traitor again. Since I dare to take him out, I have confidence that he will not be able to cause any real trouble. Iron Men Veronica will watch over Konrad. If he makes any suspicious move, he will receive another lesson from an iron fist."

"And don’t you think that leaving Curze here alone would be even more dangerous when all three of you Primarchs have left Macragge?"

The moment Guilliman heard that, he felt Lox had a point. If Curze escaped again and bypassed Veronica’s defenses and vigilance, would his homeworld not once more be utterly ruined by the Night Haunter?

For safety’s sake, Iron Men Veronica locked Curze inside herself. Like a suit of armor with a mind of its own, she restrained Curze, effectively replacing his prison with a mobile cage.

Guilliman, Lion, Sanguinius, Lox, and Curze, imprisoned within Iron Men Veronica—such a lavish lineup boarded Lion’s New Caliban, along with the repaired Invincible Reason, Red Tear, and Macragge’s Honour, three Gloriana-class Battleships, and sailed together for the Davin system.

There, in the place where Horus had fallen and been corrupted, they would end the thing that dwelled there and completely extinguish the Ruinstorm’s anchor in realspace.

This storm had lasted far too long. Once the Ruinstorm subsided even slightly, the immense strength of the Five Hundred Worlds would immediately rush to Terra to aid humanity’s lord there.