In the grim darkness of the far future, a tale unfolded that would haunt the Warriors of the 13th Space Marine legion. This is a story of cunning, treachery, and bitter conflict—an episode from a multi-part chronicle that will chill the hearts of those who dare to delve into the relentless universe of Warhammer 40,000.
In the heart of an eerily quiet planet, a beacon stood tall. The Warriors, after a lengthy stay near this beacon, began to succumb to nightmarish visions, forcing their rotation at regular intervals. The planet’s surface lacked fortifications suitable for defense, and the only known settlement was a city named Copis, nestled near a mountain housing the beacon.
The planet was Aarian, scarcely populated, and with a meager contingent of Centurion Auxilia. The Mortal Defenders, the planet’s sole protectors, were despairingly under-equipped, a fact not lost on the Night Lords, who were meticulously planning their assault based on these reconnaissance details.
The plot to capture this seemingly insignificant world began far from its surface, aboard an Ultramarines patrol ship. Legionaire Sergeant Leus discovered a heavily damaged vessel, the ‘Nickon,’ a grim relic of the Night Lords. The Civil War had littered the galaxy with such remnants, yet this particular ghost ship held an ominous secret.
Its trajectory was set to collide with the planet, and the ship’s battle scars spoke of a confrontation with the Dark Angels, a battle that should have left the ship adrift in the Thus sector. With warp engines destroyed, its presence here was an anomaly—a mystery that Sergeant Leus couldn’t ignore.
Faced with a dilemma, Leus decided to obliterate the ghost ship and report the potential threat to the planet. However, unbeknownst to him, a trap was waiting. 32 Night Lords had been lying in wait at the relay station for two weeks, ready to strike at the Ultramarines patrol ship that was now heading right into their trap.
The Night Lords’ chilling plan was unfolding perfectly. They seized the patrol ship and used it to contact the orbital station of the Aarian planet, posing as a damaged vessel in need of emergency docking. The Ultramarines, unaware of the deception, granted permission—a fatal mistake that sealed the fate of all the station’s inhabitants.
As soon as the patrol ship docked, a horde of Night Lords burst forth, igniting a fierce battle for control of the station. Unknown to the Ultramarines, an enemy fleet was positioned on the opposite side of the planet, hidden by the beacon’s light. With this cunning maneuver, the Night Lords quickly seized control of the station, leaving no survivors except for three scouts sent to the planet by Captain Adalis of the 199th company.
As the station fell, the Night Lords launched a landing operation on the planet, maintaining their element of surprise. The fate of the Aarian planet hung in the balance, the stage set for the next episode in this grim tale of Warhammer 40,000.
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