Guilliman Lives: The Return of the Avenging Son – Part 3

Title: Ultramarines Against the Tyranids: A Chronicle of Bravery and Sacrifice

It was a time of desperate crisis for the Ultramarines. Citadel, their fortress bastion, had fallen silent. The usually bustling communications network was eerily quiet, a foreboding testament to the Tyranids’ ferocious onslaught. The last known contact was from the Southern Polar Garrison, and then, nothing but a chilling void.

The noble and pragmatic Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, assessed the situation with growing concern. Swift action was needed. He dispatched the Third and Seventh Companies in Fast Strike Cruisers, their mission – to secure the poles and regain contact with the lost garrison. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet, battered and bruised, limped back to Macragge, their home planet.

The scene that awaited the Third and Seventh upon their descent was one of apocalyptic carnage. The once pristine icy landscapes were now grotesque graveyards, littered with Tyranid and Ultramarine dead. Craters scarred the frozen surface, the aftermath of Titan plasma reactors reaching critical mass. The air was thick with the stench of death, a grim testament to the relentless Tyranid onslaught.

The Seventh Company, however, found the Southern Polar Fortress unopposed. They quickly joined forces with the surviving garrison and began the arduous task of clearing the overrun subterranean passages. The arrival of Thunderhawk gunships provided much-needed support, blasting back the Tyranid swarm and keeping them at bay.

Meanwhile, Captain Mikel Fabian of the Third Company took a more cautious approach. He wisely waited for the company’s trio of Dreadnoughts before daring to penetrate the fortress. The Northern Polar Fortress was a terrifying maze of pitch-black corridors, now altered by the Tyranid invaders. Alien screams echoed ominously through the tunnels, creating a chilling symphony of horror.

As they ventured deeper into the fortress, they were met with ambushes by Chameleonic Lictors, who blended seamlessly among the fallen defenders. The Ultramarines fought bravely, using flamers to purge the passages and flush out their hidden enemies. Despite the enveloping darkness and the gruesome horrors that lay within, the Ultramarines pushed on, their indomitable spirit unbroken.

Their relentless advance led them to the lower penor – the last stand of the fortress’ defenders. Here, they found the bodies of the Ultramarines’ First Company, their lifeless forms arranged in a circle, a testament to their final, defiant stand against the Tyranids. They had fought back-to-back until the last man fell, their sacrifice a poignant reminder of their courage and brotherhood.

The Battle of Macragge, as it came to be known, is a source of both sorrow and pride for the Ultramarines. The heroic sacrifices of their fallen brothers are commemorated each year at the Feast of Days, their memories kept alive with honor and gratitude throughout Ultramar.

Despite the heavy losses, the Ultramarines endured. The First Company was rebuilt over time, its ranks filled with specially trained anti-Tyranid squads known as Tyranid War Veterans. These elite warriors, survivors of the Battle of Macragge, became the first and most powerful of the chapter’s reformed First Company. Their experience, training, and upgraded power armour ensured they were second to none in the Imperium.

The Ultramarines’ saga against the Tyranids did not end with the Battle of Macragge. They became instrumental in the Imperium’s wars against other Tyranid Hive Fleets, notably the one code-named Behemoth which crashed into Imperial space in the 745th year of the 41st Millennium. The Fourth Company, in particular, harbors a deep-seated animosity towards these relentless alien predators.

The Ultramarines stand as a bulwark against the forces of darkness, their resolve unshaken and their spirit unbroken. Their tale is one of bravery, sacrifice, and enduring resilience, a testament to their unwavering dedication to the Imperium.

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