The Unyielding Crusade
In the 203rd year of the Great Crusade, Horus, the primarch of the Luna Wolves Legio Astartes, has assumed the role of Warmaster, following the Emperor’s retirement to Terra. The 63rd Expedition Fleet, under Horus’ command, is tasked with pacifying the planet Sixty-Three-Nineteen, a human civilization that dares to defy the Imperium.
A False Emperor
The planet’s ruler, a self-proclaimed “Emperor of Mankind,” refuses to acknowledge the Imperium’s authority, and tensions escalate when Horus’ envoy, Captain Hastur Sejanus, is murdered by the ruler’s bodyguards. With no alternative, the Imperium declares war on Sixty-Three-Nineteen.
Victory and Doubt
The Luna Wolves, led by Captains Abaddon, Torgaddon, Aximand, and Loken, spearhead the assault on the planet’s palace. Despite their victory, Loken begins to question the morality of the war and his own role in it. His mentor, Iterator Kyril Sindermann, reassures him that his humanity is essential to the Mournival, an informal council of advisors to the Warmaster.
Remembrancers and Revelations
A group of remembrancers, including Mersadie Oliton and Ignace Karkasy, accompany the Expedition Fleet to document the Crusade’s glories. However, Karkasy’s morbid and defeatist verses spark controversy, and he is brutally attacked by an Imperial Army squad.
Loken’s Ascension
Loken is invited to join the Mournival, replacing Sejanus as the fourth member. He confides in Sindermann about his doubts and fears, but ultimately accepts the role. As part of the Mournival, Loken participates in a political show orchestrated by Horus and his equerry, Maloghurst.
The Whisperheads
A final pocket of resistance remains in the Whisperhead Mountains, and Loken volunteers the 10th Company to finish the war. During their approach, strange whispers echo through the vox, speaking of a mysterious entity known as Samus.
Betrayal and Horror
As the Luna Wolves crack the rebel stronghold, Loken is confronted by one of his sergeants, Xavyer Jubal, who claims to see Samus. Jubal’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and he eventually attacks Loken, forcing him to kill his former comrade. The true horror is revealed when Jubal’s body mutates into a grotesque, monstrous form.
Aftermath and Debriefing
Loken is left reeling from the events in the Whisperheads, and Abaddon warns him to keep silent about the incident. Horus arrives, proud of Loken’s actions, and explains that Jubal was possessed by a warp-entity, a xenos threat that the Imperium must confront.
The Unseen Enemy
Horus confides in Loken that the Emperor’s withdrawal from the Crusade is an attempt to master the warp, a realm that holds secrets and terrors beyond human comprehension. The fate of the Imperium hangs in the balance, as the forces of chaos seek to exploit the thin barriers between the Materium and the warp.
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