The council chamber in Hera Fortress was filled with those who held power in the Imperium of Man. Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines, had called for this meeting, gathering some of the most influential figures in the empire—Chapter Master Marneus Calgar, company captains, saints, Tech-Priests, and other esteemed leaders.
This ancient fortress had stood for over ten thousand years, bearing witness to countless pivotal moments in imperial history. During the Horus Heresy, when the Warp Storms raged and cut off communication between star systems, the Emperor remained trapped on Terra, and the loyalist armies found themselves leaderless. It was within these very walls that three Primarchs once gathered, deciding the fate of humanity amidst the chaos.
Now, ten millennia later, history seemed to repeat itself. The long passage of time had reshaped the Imperium, taking much from it but also leaving behind legacies of war and resilience. The scars of past invasions were still visible across Hera Fortress—marks left by Tyranids, Orks, and Chaos forces. As Ultramar's primary defensive stronghold, it had always been a prime target for enemy assaults.
Recently, Chaos had made another attempt to claim this fortress, sending cultists, Chaos Space Marines, and daemons in overwhelming numbers. When Guilliman had awakened from his stasis, he found Hera Fortress in ruins, littered with the corpses of friend and foe alike.
Now, with immense effort, the fortress had been restored. The rubble had been cleared, the dead removed, and shattered marble columns and broken roads were replaced. The Thinker Computer, a vital device used for tactical projections and data analysis, had been reinstalled with fresh wetware processors to bring it back to full operational status.
Guilliman surveyed the room. These were some of the Imperium's greatest heroes. Were he not a Primarch, it would have been impossible to gather so many high-ranking individuals in one place. Each of them wielded power that could shape the fate of entire star systems—deciding the survival or destruction of millions with a single command.
They were leaders of fleets, generals of war, and defenders of the God-Emperor's will. Their unwavering loyalty and willingness to sacrifice everything for the Imperium was beyond question.
At the center of the chamber was an oval war table, its surface illuminated by holographic projections of Ultramar's current state. The Fall of Cadia, the eruption of the Great Rift, and the expanding threats of Chaos, Tyranids, and Necrons—all were displayed in grim clarity.
Tech-Priests and their cybernetic servitors, clad in worn crimson robes, moved about, adjusting the machinery and maintaining the Thinker Computer's stability.
The Imperium's ban on artificial intelligence had given rise to these biomechanical wetware machines, which were constructed from the brains of criminals, heretics, or clones of Mechanicus acolytes. These brains, suspended in hardened glass tanks, were integrated into the machine through an extensive network of cables, forming the computational core of the Imperium's technology.
Once everyone was seated, Guilliman took his place at the head of the table.
Every pair of eyes in the room was on him.
Loyalty, devotion, and near fanatical admiration filled their gazes. To be in the presence of a Primarch, an actual demigod of war, was an honor few could claim.
Guilliman could feel their expectations pressing down on him. He was their hope—the leader they believed could restore the Imperium and lead humanity to salvation. It was an immense burden, even for him. The challenges ahead were monumental, a struggle against gods and monsters. If he failed, the Imperium would be lost.
He took a deep breath and began.
"The Imperium stands on the brink of destruction," Guilliman declared, his voice clear and commanding. "Chaos presses us on all sides, the Tyranids swarm across our borders, and the Necrons stir from their tombs. We face war on every front. But this council has been called so that we may determine the best course of action."
A brief silence followed before High Marshal Amalrich, leader of the Black Templars, spoke first.
"Lord Regent, you must make Terra your priority. It is the Imperium's heart, the center of our strength. There, you will find the greatest military resources, the finest warriors, and the power to reshape the empire. With your return, the High Lords of Terra will fall in line, and we can begin the true work of restoring the Imperium."
His argument was logical. Terra was the capital, home to the Adeptus Custodes, the High Lords, and the Imperium's largest military forces.
Guilliman, however, shook his head.
"No," he countered. "Terra cannot be my immediate goal. The Imperium is too fractured. The Great Rift has severed our communications, and none of us know what state Terra is in. Walking into the unknown would be reckless. We need stability before we act."
His voice grew firm.
"Ultramar is still one of the strongest regions of the Imperium. The Five Hundred Worlds are not yet lost. They can provide us with warships, soldiers, and supplies. If we are to reclaim the empire, we must first secure our foundation."
The room fell into deep contemplation.
Guilliman's reasoning was sound. Terra was infested with bureaucracy, and the High Lords would not easily relinquish their grip on power. If Guilliman went there now, he would be forced into a political struggle, wasting valuable time and resources.
And that was assuming Terra had not already fallen into anarchy or Chaos's grasp.
It was too great a risk.
His strategy was clear: fortify Ultramar, build an army, and then march on Terra when the time was right.
Nods of agreement spread around the table.
The discussion shifted toward military operations, focusing on how best to reclaim Ultramar from enemy forces. A full-scale counteroffensive was proposed, centered around Macragge as the staging ground.
Guilliman officially named this campaign the "Unyielding War", symbolizing humanity's refusal to submit to the dark fate that Chaos had planned.
The war council meticulously crafted strategies to eradicate Chaos forces, eliminate Tyranid threats, and reinforce strategic worlds. Fleet movements, planetary defenses, and supply logistics were carefully arranged.
By the end of the meeting, the Unyielding War had been set into motion.
Before dismissing the council, Guilliman signaled to one individual to remain behind—Kauer, a senior Tech-Priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
He had a special task for him—one that would shape the future of the Imperium.
This meeting had only been the first step. The true battle was yet to come.
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