In the distant chronicles of the Warhammer 40k universe, approximately 65 million years before the Imperium’s discovery, an alien material known as noctilith was used to construct monolithic pylons on Cadia Prime. Each of these majestic structures towered 500 meters into the sky and extended a quarter of a kilometer underground. The alien nature of these pylons was evident not only in their construction but also in their external stone facade, which was punctuated with holes of variable diameters leading to through channels. This feature distinguished one construct from another, making each pylon a unique masterpiece.
According to witnesses who dared stand next to these enigmatic edifices, an eerie howling of the wind could be heard. Cadia Prime, at its peak, housed about 6,000 intact pylons and over 2,000 partially destroyed ones. However, the mystery deepened as it was unknown how many ancient constructs lay buried underground due to tectonic shifts over 1 million years since their installation. These structures were not mere architectural marvels; they acted as emitters of an anti-psychic field that limited warp activity.
Their distribution was not random. Pylons were built in large groups, creating fields with numerous monoliths. These same constructions, possessing identical properties, could be found on other planets in the Cadian system.
In the dying days of the 41st Millennium, Abdon the Despoiler commenced his 13th Black Crusade, the largest incursion by the forces of Chaos into the Imperium since the Horus Heresy. The Despoiler had a grand scheme named the Crimson Path. The objective was to summon a vast number of Daemons on the surface of Cadia. Their collective energy would overload the pylons, knocking them out of operation. With the pylons disabled, the planet would transform into a world of Daemons, and the Black Crusade would spread to the rest of the Segmentum Obscurus and, ultimately, the entire galaxy. Even Terra itself would be swallowed by the Eye of Terror.
The first signs of this inevitable invasion by the forces of Chaos appeared several months before the arrival of Abdon’s main fleet. The sector began to notice numerous drifters, some of which were destroyed by the Adeptus Aartis or the orbital defenses of the worlds. However, some of the solitary vessels of the Chaos side succeeded in striking at strategically important bases on the planets of the Cadian system, disabling the region’s military forces.
One of the first harbingers of the approaching forces of Chaos to the Imperium was Terminus Est, the flagship of the Death Guard under the command of Typhus. The servants of Nurgle spread terrifying epidemics across the afflicted worlds. This was followed by the rise of cults preaching that all the incoming horrors were punishments from the Emperor for their sins. Rebellions began to flare up on the affected planets, compounded by the invasion of Plague Zombies, rendering the population utterly incapable of withstanding the forces of Typhus.
As Chaos spread through the region neighboring the Eye of Terror, the number of criminal organizations grew, claiming the Imperium had abandoned the true intentions of the Lord of Mankind. Attacks by mysterious and cruel Raiders became the order of the day. The Emperor’s T Harrow and the Astropaths consistently gave the most alarming predictions.
On Cadia, the mysterious pylons began to emit intense psychic energy. The ancient devices trembled, struggling against the power flowing from the Eye of Terror. However, operating at such an unprecedented level, the structures slowly began to self-destruct.
Despite the raging internal discord and the looming danger on the neighboring planets, Cadia continued to remain a bastion of calm. To counter the Chaos threat, the planet’s high command ordered every regiment of the Cadian Shock Troops to return home. For this purpose, hundreds of additional landing sites for reinforcement ships were equipped around Catok. All natives of Cadia were rightly considered brave and effective soldiers, but the Volani Catfacts regiment was often recognized as the best among them.
The general respect and reputation of these warriors were so high that the planet’s high command personally went to the Troc fields to welcome the arriving heroes. The ceremony was watched by no less than 1 million soldiers previously positioned on the landing sites. However, the Volani regiment stepped onto the surface with the banners of Chaos in their hands and opened fire on the unsuspecting Cadians, annihilating the entire command echelon, including the Govern Primis.
The crazed traitors fought with suicidal zeal but were stopped by a swift counterattack, deftly organized by Lord Castellan Osaka E Creed. Taking on the responsibilities of governor of Cadia, the commander managed to take control of the shocked army and prevent further disaster. Lord Castellan sent out requests for help throughout the Imperium, and his call was answered by the Administratum and the Adeptus Aartis, mobilizing the sector at an incredible pace.
An elite unit of the Cadian Shock Troops, the Keren, was sent on a reconnaissance mission into the Eye of Terror. Their task was to… (to be continued in the next part of the series).
Leave a Reply