In the cursed realm of Warhammer 40,000, legend whispers of a time when a monstrous xenos, now confirmed as a demon of Nurgle, seized control of a world. Its psychic power was so immense that even the three Primarchs could barely move in its vicinity. The Beast’s fierce presence and horrifying power was so overwhelming that it drove dozens of librarians to madness, brought Mortarion to his knees, and struck Horus with an energy so potent that it reduced the mighty Primarch to tears of blood.
Amidst this maelstrom of chaos and cosmic horror, an unlikely savior emerged. The great Khan, concealed by the abilities of the storm seer, managed to approach the monster from behind and cleave its colossal body in two. This act of supreme courage and prowess saved the lives of both Horus and Mortarion. Historians of the far future would speculate on the potential outcomes if Khan had been late, but such conjectures are futile. A warrior of Khan’s caliber simply could not be late.
With the monster’s death, reality was torn asunder, and Khan was dragged into a deadly vortex. Yet, Horus Lupercal managed to save him, repaying Khan for sparing his own life. As the demon’s life faded, so too did its influence over the planet. The warp portal clamped shut, and the countless puppeteer corpses fell lifeless to the ground.
This victory on Drun was so monumental that it transformed the perception of the White Scars among their peers. Those who previously dismissed them finally recognized their might. Yet, the sons of Jagatai chose to cherish another tale of victory, one known only to a few. This tale, known as the “Fall of the Pale Emperor,” was passed down through the ranks of the fifth Legion, shaping their values and their perception of their own history.
This tale begins in the final years of the Great Crusade, when Jagatai Khan embarked on an expedition to the fringes of the Mandragora sector, accompanied by only five battle companies. There, on the edge of known space, they discovered a thriving human-populated system, technologically advanced and unyielding in their refusal to join the Imperium.
The ensuing battle was fierce, the local forces defending their cities with a skill and determination that impressed even the Great Khan. Yet, in spite of their valor, they were no match for the White Scars. City after city fell, their armies decimated, their nobility slaughtered. Yet, the ruler, the Pale Emperor, remained defiant to the last.
In the official telling of this tale, the Great Khan left the Pale Emperor alive, a living testament to the consequences of defiance. However, within the ranks of the White Scars, a different ending is remembered. In this version, the Great Khan spares the Pale Emperor not out of mercy, but out of respect. For the Pale Emperor had chosen a fate even Jagatai himself would not dare. The annihilated system had chosen death over enslavement, a choice that perhaps, in some twisted way, the Great Khan could admire.
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