A Monster in Hell: A 40K Story

Chapter-17

"Hydraphur has fallen."

Legions of doom marched to dispense their justice on the corrupt in that place. Under Rampart's direction, several Legions of Space Marines, Regiments of Guardsman, Fleets of the Navy, and Tech-Priest troops marched on the various worlds. In six days the entire scope of war had changed. Inquisitor Khal, under the chains of liberation, was led back to the capital at gunpoint by Commissar Injun Jon. A victory parade was immediately hosted, to increase the spirits of the populace. Many other major prisoners, including several high-ranking Inquisitors and Cardinals, were captured. 

The price had gone up.

With Hydraphur under control, the various military officers launched their own campaigns. It was not that they were divided, they could still coordinate a strong united offensive if they could. But each had their own objectives to fulfill. 

Colonel Elias Juror became famous for assailing Voss Prime, an important Forge-World in the Solar Segmentum itself, while his subordinate, Major Fidus The, captured Paramar and Vanaheim within a week of relentless use of deadly weapons against the enemy. Lord-Commander Gunin Fo struck Armageddon itself, wiping out an extremely strong Ork Force in the system. 

In Segmentum Pacificus, Colonel Andreas Hope led the struggle against the Sabbat Worlds, while Rampart himself attacked major Forge-Worlds like Fortis Binary, Beta Cornix, Atremia Majoris and Atar Median. He persuaded many Tech-Priests to turn traitor in the siege. Admiral Kairos Dune led a strong effort against the Forge-World Stygies VIII and even Sabatine, fighting the White Consuls Chapter that had stayed zealously loyal to the Imperium.

I had immediately laid down an Ultimatum, claiming to end the war if all the loyalist warlords laid down their arms. As for the hostages, I asked for several important space stations, fleets, four Titan Legions, and at least ten major Forge-Worlds from the loyalist Imperium. The sheer number of hostages we took alive made this possible. 

Six weeks. Six weeks since Hydraphur had fallen. Half of the worlds had been caught by surprise, others willingly surrendered or fell to infighting. More than fifteen sectors had fallen to the wrath of the True Imperium. The war was going to get progressively harder from here on, so I was opting to make a significantly-sized deal before our luck ran out. 

Meanwhile, relations with other places were getting progressively harder. High Lord-Admiral Sagittarius himself led a minor confrontation with the T'au, which resulted in several Exterminatus actions and a guerilla warfare with millions dead on both sides for two weeks. This was known as the Ultima Fringe War. 

Another strike was the Orks at Armageddon, the forces of Commander Fo were stuck dealing with a double-front war between the Imperium Sanctus and the Orks, and he was barely holding up. 

Then there was the increasing Daemon action as the Thirteenth Black Crusade rapidly approached. Warfare sprung up in small worlds as Abaddon's forces grew closer to Cadia. Abaddon himself seemed to be waiting for the right moment. It seemed that the Imperial Civil War had emboldened him, and he was accelerating his plans to kill us and therefore the only sensible leadership among humans. There were just two months left into 999.M41.

Then there was the Tyrannic War. A large Hive Fleet had been destroyed by Arch-Magos Belisarius Cawl, with his Ark Mechanicus flagship, the Iron Revenant. The sheer power of the Dark Age ship had cooked the fleet. But then another Hive Fleet assailed the Forge-World Lucius, which turned out to be Kronos, and cause immense devastation before the Tech-Priests used their superior technology to end the battle.

Six weeks I had been barricaded in my office, receiving nothing but reports. Forcing myself to keep up with my powers, having copious amounts of sex to ease my anxiety and doing nothing but honing my skills and giving orders was taking a toll on me.