Nareth sat upon the throne, his gaze fixed on the green-armored warrior entering the grand hall.
On the warrior's right pauldron was painted a yellow marking: the numeral XVIII.
On his left pauldron was the Legion insignia, a pair of black, downward-curving metal horns.
It was Cassian Vaughn, commander of the XVIII Legion. He removed his helmet and carried it under his left arm.
Nareth studied Vaughn. He remembered that the warrior before him was not only now the XVIII Legion's commander, but in the future he would survive the brutal Isstvan V Massacre and go on to become the founder and spiritual leader of the Promethean Cult.
"How fares the XVIII Legion?" Nareth asked.
Before Vulkan's reunion with them, the XVIII Legion had once been called the Dragon Warriors, a name that was no longer mentioned.
Along with the VI and XX Legions, they were part of the so-called "Clover," whose origins the Emperor had carefully concealed.
"My lord, during the Unification Wars, the XVIII Legion suffered grievous losses in the 'Storm Corridor' campaign. Our numbers fell from 26,000 down to just a thousand."
"Since then, we have recovered. At present, the Legion has 15,000 warriors."
Nareth nodded slightly. He recalled that when Vulkan was reunited with his sons, the XVIII Legion numbered 19,000.
When Vulkan returned in 832, he did not immediately take command. He studied under the Emperor for several years before assuming leadership. Vaughn's number was not far off from what Nareth expected.
'The Emperor's Children, the Thousand Sons, and the Salamanders were always competing for the title of the smallest Legion at various stages of the Great Crusade. Interesting, I've commanded two of them myself.'
"I will dispatch a detachment to the XVIII Legion, so that both our Legions may learn from each other. This will prepare you for future cooperation."
Because of their small size, the XVIII Legion had never been entrusted with leading major campaigns since the Crusade began.
They were usually deployed in scattered formations, handling rear-line threats such as derelict space hulks or Aeldar corsairs.
Yet because of this, the XVIII had developed considerable expertise in counter-insurgency and void salvage operations, skills worth studying.
"As you command."
Vaughn departed with a squad of Shadows of Order. As they left the palace, he looked up at the dazzling shield that shrouded the city in radiant light, and asked curiously:
"What is that?"
"This is a Fortress-Class Void Shield. It can protect an entire city." Lucas, a proud member of the Shadows of Order's Eleventh Legion Honor Guard, explained.
"It was a technology discovered by the Arbiter Lord on a certain world."
Vaughn's eyes gleamed as he stared at the shield. "A wondrous technology indeed."
Two days later, the fleet of the XIV Legion arrived at Cypra Mundi. Nareth received Captain Balasin of the First Company and Captain Tessus of the Seventh, both of the Dusk Raiders.
They wore plain grey power armor, unadorned, save for their right arms and pauldrons painted deep crimson, symbols of their role as the Emperor's merciless right hand.
On their right shoulder was the Legion badge: half a skull, half a spiked crescent, and a hemisphere.
After saluting, Balasin, as senior captain, spoke first:
"My lord, by the Emperor's command, the Unbroken Ones report for duty."
Nareth knew well: though the Emperor had named them the Dusk Raiders, the warriors of the XIV had always called themselves the Unbroken, a tradition that endured even after Mortarion's return.
It was a reflection of their origins, in the warlike and stubborn tribes of Albia.
"How many Unbroken does the XIV Legion number now?" Nareth asked.
"My lord, the Legion presently counts 37,000 Unbroken."
Balasin's reply matched Nareth's knowledge. Before the Great Betrayal, the Death Guard would eventually reach around 95,000 warriors, making them one of the smaller Legions.
After discussing the state of the Legion, Nareth issued his orders:
"Five days from now, three Legions will depart for the Stivnich System."
"My lord, the Unbroken shall be ready," Balasin affirmed.
"I will dispatch two squads of the Shadows of Order to accompany you, so that mutual understanding may deepen through battle."
The Dusk Raiders' mastery of heavy infantry warfare and their precise timing of twilight assaults were also lessons worth observing.
In 824, with the fleet of the Shadows of Order Eighth Chapter, the XIV, and the XVIII arrived at the Stivnich System.
At once, they joined the void war.
On the bridge of the XVIII Legion's flagship.
Cassian Vaughn gazed into the void. After the arrival of the Shadows of Order fleet, they immediately coordinated with the Second Legion to strike the xenos armada.
He recalled the Unification Wars, when he had first witnessed the terrifying "Reapers." With a sigh, he muttered:
"You are not the same as before."
"Our Gene-Father has returned and remade us," said Captain Lucas, leader of the detachment sent to the XVIII.
Vaughn's eyes flickered. He had always done his utmost, but the XVIII had never regained their former glory.
Even when combined with the XIV, their total barely reached half the strength of the Eleventh Legion, and that was despite the Eleventh having exhausted itself in the battles of the Wheel of Fire.
'The Eleventh controls more than seventy star systems now. Under the governance of the Shadows of Order, they grow steadily.'
'No one would have imagined that the "Reapers," once known only for slaughter, could transform into skilled administrators under Lord Nareth's guidance.'
With a sigh, Vaughn ordered his ships into battle.
Lucas fixed his gaze on the viewing screen. He saw the Second and Eighth Chapters, using relic-class warships at their core, unleashing their superior range against the xeno vessels.
Streams of light hammered the enemy ships, whose hulls glowed with crimson runes.
And yet, when the xenos fired back their scarlet beams, not a single one touched the green-lit Imperial vessels.
Each crimson flare burst, then vanished in an instant.
After repeated exchanges, the enemy ships scattered like startled fish.
Lucas checked the rune-feedback displays, then reported to Vaughn:
"Their ships are smaller, more agile."
'Then what course will the XVIII take?'
Vaughn traced a route in the hololith with his armored gauntlet.
Lucas realized it was a direct charge into the heart of the enemy's retreat path.
"As you say," Vaughn explained, "they are more nimble. We cannot win by dancing around them.
"But if we pierce their center, we bring the prow and broadside firepower of our ships fully to bear."
Lucas said nothing. The XIV and XVIII lacked relic-class warships, so exploiting their armor and broadside guns was the soundest tactic.
The XVIII formed an arrowhead formation, their flagship at the tip, and drove into the alien fleet.
The screens were filled with red and green light. Lucas braced his stance as violent shudders shook the bridge.
In the opening clash, the void shields took countless hits, their runes flashing with warnings.
Soon, the runes for the B-2 starboard shield turned fully red, shattered.
The next barrage rocked the ship, sparks flying as servitors fell silent at their ruined consoles.
Lucas, prepared for the impact, swayed only slightly before regaining his balance.
'The void shield takes too long to reboot. If only it could recharge automatically… Ah, the Legion found such technology on Medusa. In time, it will spread across our ships.'
Refocusing on the battle, he saw the XVIII tearing into the enemy.
Lances at the prow ripped through fragile xenos hulls.
The broadsides hammered unshielded ships with merciless accuracy.
Vaughn's harsh voice cut through the vpx: "These xeno pirates have no honor, no courage. They are breaking!"
After the enemy was routed, the Imperial fleet, following Nareth's command, began the planetary assault.
The XVIII bombarded Planet III from orbit, then launched their ground offensive.
.....
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