Title: The Eye of Terror – An In-Depth Look into the 13th Black Crusade
The 40,000th millennium was a time of epic battles and even grander betrayals. One such instance was the cataclysmic first strike of the Chaos Armada, led by the notorious Abon. This series aims to dissect that fateful time, detailing the events that unfolded during the 13th Black Crusade, a period that echoes with tales of bravery, despair, and devastation.
The Chaos Armada’s journey into the Warp was nothing short of disastrous. The brave Cadians, entrapped on a demonic world, met their untimely end at the hands of the Planet Killer ship. Emerging triumphant from this chaos was Abon’s fleet, a terrifying spectacle consisting of hundreds of Space Marauders warships. Accompanied by the formidable battleships Terminus Est and Hel Talon, and two Blackton fortresses, they made their menacing presence known.
Abon’s fleet, bursting forth from the Eye of Terror, was a sight to behold. The Imperial forces that stood in the path of the Chaos Fleet found themselves torn – some stood their ground valiantly, buying precious time for the Defenders of Cadia. Others fled in terror, the image of the approaching Armada too daunting to confront. The ensuing conflict ensnared every world within 1,000 light years of the Eye of Terror, including the planets of Aari and the vaults of Trzin the Infinite.
The Death Guard wreaked havoc on the Agripinaa sector, while The Emperor’s Children, led by the eternal Lucius, launched an onslaught on the world of Bisar. The Night Lords spread dread in the Scaris sector, and the Alpha Legion orchestrated sabotage operations throughout the Segmentum Obscurus.
Alongside the Chaos Space Marines came hordes of mutants, the dark Mechanicus Titans, and demons. These nightmarish creatures left devastation in their wake, especially in areas closest to the Warp Rift. Amidst this chaos, the Destroyer set a course for Cadia, the heart of the conflict.
After three solar days of relentless assault, the majority of the Imperial Fleet was rendered useless. Abon’s first step was a brutal bombardment so powerful it sent shockwaves through the hardened Cadian Shock Troops. Then came the onslaught of Chaos Space Marines, Titans, and countless demons. Yet, the spirit of Cadia’s defenders did not waver. Supported by the legendary 13th company of the Space Wolves, they fought back.
As the defenders fortified their position, Abon executed his next move. The Word Bearers, under the command of the Dark Apostle Arabus, performed bloody rituals on captured worlds. This created even larger Warp storms near the Eye of Terror, releasing an onslaught of demons.
But the Imperial forces did not falter. Led by Lord Castellan Creed and bolstered by the White Scars chapter, they launched a counterattack that started on Cadia and spread across the sector. After long weeks of grueling resistance, the defenders finally received much-needed reinforcements, including the Blood Angels, Space Wolves, and Dark Angels.
Yet, in the midst of this hard-fought battle, the Word Bearer’s rituals reached their terrifying climax. By sacrificing one million innocents, they invoked a powerful Warp storm, making intersystem travel impossible and effectively isolating the Segmentum Obscurus from the rest of the Imperium.
In this moment of chaos, the Black Legion laid waste to several systems. But the most terrifying sight was the emergence of the Planet Killer in the orbit of Cadia – a ship equipped with the Armageddon weapon, capable of obliterating entire worlds.
Despite these dire circumstances, Cadia stood firm. Its moons transformed into scorched wastelands, defensive lines obliterated, and its high command relocated to the most remote fortress cities. Yet, amidst the ruins and the relentless assault, the Cadians refused to surrender, embodying the indomitable spirit of the Imperium.
Join us in the next part of this series as we delve deeper into this iconic conflict, revealing more about the forces at play and the heroes and villains that emerged from the ashes of the 13th Black Crusade.
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