The path of evacuation was heavier than the one they had taken to get there. Each body of a Steel Paladins Terminator, painstakingly carried back, represented the fall of a loyal warrior and an unbearable loss. The terrifying sounds of energy collisions from deep within the cave and the continuous slight tremors of the earth were like a death knell in everyone's hearts, reminding them of the dreadful battlefield they had just escaped.
When they finally dragged their exhausted, blood-stained bodies out of the suffocating underground passage and back into the relatively open abandoned factory area, two Thunderhawk Gunships were roaring their engines, hovering low, waiting. Luna Aisa and Cliff's figures stood by the hatch of one of them, anxiously looking out.
Seeing Gorden and the others emerge with casualties, Luna immediately directed the accompanying ship's medics and tech-thralls to go forward and assist. Cliff also quickly rushed down the gangway, helping Lex and Dorian carry the heavy Terminator remains.
"How are things? You…" Cliff looked at their disheveled appearance and the significantly reduced numbers, his voice heavy.
"Heavy losses…" Gorden shook his head wearily, removing his blood-stained helmet, his face etched with grief and exhaustion. "Where is the Librarian?"
"The Librarian… he…" A surviving Steel Paladins soldier choked, lowering his head.
Gorden closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The fall of a Librarian was a huge blow to any Chapter.
"The Grey Knights… they came," Gorden said to Cliff and Luna. "They are down there… dealing with that Greater Daemon."
Dorian, while helping to secure the bodies into the Thunderhawk, grumbled, "How did you find those three elusive guys? I turned the whole ship upside down and didn't even see a shadow."
Luna, while checking if Gaius was injured (the latter shook his head, indicating he was fine), calmly replied, "I didn't go looking for them. I just broadcasted your distress signal and coordinates to all areas via the ship's highest-priority internal channel. Then… they responded, inquired about the specific threat level, and then directly teleported off the ship. I don't even know where they departed from."
Upon hearing this, everyone gained a new appreciation for the Grey Knights' mystery and efficiency.
Soon, all personnel and remains were aboard the Thunderhawk. The Steel Paladins soldiers, with heavy hearts, piloted another Thunderhawk back to their battleship to report the bad news and request assistance. Gorden and the others, meanwhile, took their own Thunderhawk back to the Steadfast Will.
The return journey was silent. Everyone was immersed in the grief of their fallen comrades and the lingering fear of encountering a powerful daemon. Dorian was no longer noisy, just staring at the barren landscape rapidly passing outside the viewport, lost in thought. Gorden, on the other hand, frowned continuously, his gaze lowered, as if staring at something invisible. He was not only mourning the fallen but also worrying about the three Grey Knights who had stayed behind to cover their retreat. Against such a terrifying Greater Daemon, could they win? Even if they did, what would be the cost?
The Thunderhawk slowly entered the Steadfast Will's hangar. The hatch opened, and a familiar scent of the ship's interior mixed with disinfectant wafted in.
However, as Gorden was the first to step down the gangway, his footsteps suddenly halted, his pupils slightly constricted.
Just in the shadows of the hangar, three tall, silver-gray figures stood silently, as if they had been waiting for a long time.
It was the three Grey Knights!
They had returned!
But their condition was clearly not good. Their magnificent silver-gray Terminator armor was covered in deep claw marks, corrosive scorches, and large patches of dried, putrid purplish-pink blood. The psychic glow on the armor's surface was very dim, and some areas even showed tiny cracks. Especially the Grey Knight wielding the Daemonhammer, his shoulder pad had a noticeable dent, and dark red blood was seeping from beneath it, suggesting a subtle stiffness when he moved.
Nevertheless, they still stood ramrod straight, like three silver mountains that had weathered a storm yet remained unmoving. That cold, awe-inspiring presence, though considerably weakened, was still there.
"...You..." Gorden was momentarily at a loss for words. He had originally thought...
The Grey Knight Captain stepped forward, his voice coming through his faceplate, still steady, but with a hint of undeniable weariness: "Greater Daemon of Slaanesh... severely wounded... retreated into the Warp... escaped."
He briefly reported the outcome, without describing the ferocity of the process, but everyone could imagine, from their wounds, what an earth-shattering battle it had been.
"Thank you for your assistance..." Gorden said solemnly. "If it weren't for you..."
"It is our duty." The Grey Knight Captain interrupted him, seemingly unwilling to accept thanks. His gaze swept over the injured squad member.
At this moment, the ship's Chief Medical Officer rushed over with several medics. Seeing the Grey Knights' injuries, especially the one with the dented shoulder pad, he immediately stepped forward: "Sir, your injuries require immediate attention! Please come with us to the medical bay—"
"Unnecessary." The injured Grey Knight coldly refused, even turning slightly to avoid the medic's hand. His demeanor was cold and aloof, as if a mortal's touch was a sacrilege.
The Chief Medical Officer froze in place, somewhat at a loss.
The Grey Knight Captain was silent for a moment, seemingly engaging in a silent exchange with his squad member, then he spoke again, his tone carrying an undeniable command: "Valerius, accept treatment. Your injuries will affect combat efficiency. The Emperor's mission takes precedence over all personal feelings."
The Grey Knight named Valerius stiffened slightly, and finally, he gave an almost imperceptible nod, signaling his acquiescence, but still exuding a chilling aura that warned people to keep their distance. He followed the medics away, not once looking at any mortal.
Only then did the Grey Knight Captain turn his gaze back to Gorden, his tone growing more solemn: "The situation here… far exceeds expectations. Though the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh has retreated, it has long established itself here and will not give up easily. The energy signals it emitted upon its escape indicate that it is summoning more minions from the Realm of Pleasure."
He looked up, as if he could see through the ship's deck to the distant stars: "I must immediately send a top-priority distress signal to the Grey Knights Chapter on Holy Terra and to the Lord Commander. More brothers must be dispatched to thoroughly cleanse this area and hunt down that wounded Greater Daemon, to prevent it from regaining strength or causing greater destruction."
Just then, the communications officer from the bridge ran over, saluting Gorden and the Grey Knight Captain: "Report! Priority communication received from the Macragge's Honour! It's a direct order from Chapter Master Calgar!"
Gorden immediately connected the communication.
The holographic projection flickered a few times, revealing the figure of Chapter Master Calgar. His face still held a hint of paleness from his recent recovery, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle's, filled with undeniable authority and power. His voice came through the loudspeaker, steady and forceful, carrying the majesty of a Primarch's heir:
"Sergeant Golden, I have received your preliminary report and the subsequent combat update from Captain Warton of the Steel Paladins. It seems the intelligence we initially gathered severely underestimated the threat level and nature on Gloom IV. The Dark Mechanicum is not the core of the problem; the true threat is Chaos Daemons, especially the infiltration of the Slaanesh faction, with even a Greater Daemon-level entity appearing!"
Chapter Master Calgar's tone carried a hint of solemnity and decisiveness: "This matter is no longer trivial and cannot be handled by a single squad and a sub-Chapter company. The entire 7th Company has now completed rest and resupply, and I order them to depart immediately for the Gloom IV system to rendezvous with you! Commanded by Captain Cassius himself! You must hold out until reinforcements arrive and fully cooperate with the Captain and the Grey Knights' actions!"
"Understood! Chapter Master!" Gorden immediately accepted the order, a great weight finally lifted from his heart. The arrival of the 7th Company's main force meant they would have enough power to deal with the coming fierce battle.
Calgar's gaze seemed to sweep over the Grey Knight Captain beside him. He nodded slightly, his tone conveying respect for the Emperor's secret forces: "Grey Knight, thank you for your timely intervention. The Ultramarines will fully cooperate with your cleansing operation."
The Grey Knight Captain merely nodded in return, saying nothing more, his demeanor still cold and efficient.
The communication ended.
The atmosphere in the hangar remained heavy, but with a glimmer of hope. The arrival of the 7th Company's main force was undoubtedly a powerful aid.
However, the Grey Knight Captain's next words reminded everyone: "The Greater Daemon of Slaanesh's summoning may be faster than reinforcements. Maintain the highest alert level. Once Valerius recovers, we will immediately begin to set up targeted defenses and countermeasures."
With that, he said no more, turning and leaving with another squad member to arrange communications.
Gorden watched their retreating figures, then looked at Valerius, who was receiving treatment, and let out a long, deep breath.
The crisis was temporarily alleviated, but far from over. The shadow of Slaanesh still hung over Gloom IV, and a larger storm was brewing.
In the medical bay, Thor was now able to sit up and eat liquid food. Lina sat on the chair by his bed, softly telling him about what had happened on the ship, including the appearance of the Grey Knights and the surprising news of the Primarch changing orders. Thor listened with a deep frown, especially when he heard about the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh and the Emperor's Children.
When she heard about Gaius' perilous encounter with the Slaaneshi Daemonette (a simplified version she had heard from Luna), Thor couldn't help but cough, his face filled with lingering fear.
"It's alright, Sir Thor, Sir Gaius is fine," Lina quickly reassured him, subconsciously touching the cold Night Lords medallion she held.
Thor sighed, looking out at the dark starry sky through the viewport, and murmured, "Is the 7th Company coming too? It seems there's really going to be a tough battle ahead…"
In his eyes, there was both worry for his comrades and deep regret for his inability to participate in the battle.
The Steadfast Will once again entered a state of intense preparation, awaiting the imminent reinforcements, and… the even more ferocious Chaos storm that would inevitably follow.
The ship's engines rumbled, like an anxious giant pacing in the starry sky. The bridge and all critical posts were shrouded in a highly vigilant silence; everyone was waiting for the 7th Company's reinforcements, while also being wary of any retaliatory attacks Slaanesh might launch.
Amidst the hustle and tension, Gaius received a summons from the Grey Knights. The messenger was a ship servitor-skull, its cold mechanical voice informing him to proceed to the area temporarily designated by the Grey Knights.
Gaius' heart sank slightly. He knew what was coming. He tidied his appearance (though his armor was still covered in battle scars), took a deep breath, and walked towards the area isolated by an invisible psychic barrier, a place where no unauthorized person was allowed.
In a temporarily cleared cabin, furnished only with simple metal tables and chairs, the Grey Knight Captain stood like a silent, silver-grey mountain. His armor had undergone initial cleaning, but the deep scars were still striking, speaking of the ferocity of the previous battle. The other Grey Knight was nowhere to be seen, likely meditating or maintaining his equipment.
"Sir Grey Knight," Gaius stood at attention and saluted, his voice calm.
The Grey Knight Captain turned, his cold gaze piercing through his hawk-beaked helmet and falling upon Gaius, scrutinizing him as if to penetrate his armor and look directly into his soul. The cabin was silent, save for the faint hum of the circulation system.
After a long moment, the Captain's emotionless voice finally spoke: "Gaius."
"Present."
"During the engagement with the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh and its minions deep within the lair," the Captain's voice was steady and direct, like a statement of fact, "apart from the dense Slaanesh corruption, I also sensed a trace of… an extremely faint, yet fundamentally different, Chaos fluctuation."
Gaius' heart rate subtly quickened, but he forced himself to remain calm.
"That trace of fluctuation…" The Captain's gaze pressed down on Gaius like a physical weight, "…its source points to you. Its nature belongs to the Lord of Change, Tzeentch."
Gaius remained silent, neither denying nor able to deny.
"What happened after the Slaaneshi Daemonette attempted to corrupt your mind?" the Captain pressed, his tone still cold, but with an undeniable investigative edge.
Gaius struggled to recall that terrifying moment, his brow furrowed: "The Daemonette… rushed at me. Then… time seemed to pause… I felt it digging into my fears… but…"
He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, a hint of confusion and uncertainty on his face: "…but I didn't see any specific fearful visions… Then… the next second, I saw the Daemonette… its body shattered… its head flew off… it self-destructed. The rest… I don't know what happened."
He deeply buried that fleeting glimpse of the terrifying projection of "Daemon Gaius" in his consciousness, an image too horrifying and inexplicable, one he himself couldn't even be sure was a real hallucination.
The Grey Knight Captain listened silently, without any reaction, like a cold statue. His rotating ocular lenses stared fixedly at Gaius, seemingly analyzing every subtle fluctuation in his words, evaluating their truthfulness.
The pressure in the cabin was almost suffocating.
After a long while, the Captain slowly spoke, his voice still terrifyingly steady: "Self-destructed… Slaaneshi Daemonettes are not low-tier lesser daemons; their core is composed of pure sensory energy and dark obsession, making them extremely difficult to completely destroy, let alone 'self-destruct'."
He leaned forward slightly, his invisible psychic pressure almost making Gaius take a step back: "That fleeting Tzeentch aura, though faint, was extremely pure… even carrying a kind of… high-tier oppressive power. This cannot be explained by ordinary corruption."
Gaius felt cold sweat on his back; he clenched his fists tightly, remaining silent. He couldn't explain, nor could he offer more information.
The Grey Knight Captain gazed at him for another moment, seemingly weighing something. Finally, he straightened up, and the suffocating pressure slightly receded.
"Remain vigilant, Gaius," the Captain's voice returned to its previous cold neutrality, "The power within you is both a potential disaster and possibly… in specific circumstances, an unexpected variable. Continue to observe. Report any anomalies immediately."
He made no conclusions, nor did he take any action, merely issuing a vague instruction before falling silent and turning to walk deeper into the cabin, signaling the end of the meeting.
Gaius looked at his tall, scarred back, his heart a mix of emotions. He saluted and silently exited the cabin. He knew that the Grey Knights' doubts had not been dispelled, merely put aside for now. The dead silence in his left arm and that inexplicable scene remained a huge question mark, hanging over him and all who knew.
…
Meanwhile, at the other end of the ship, the atmosphere was relatively more relaxed.
Following Sister Luna's formal application and Sergeant Golden's full recommendation, Captain Cassius of the 7th Company, before his arrival, approved Lina Aisa's application to be assigned as a technical Sergeant's assistant within Second Squad's auxiliary mortal forces via encrypted communication. This meant Lina officially became a member of the Ultramarines' combat order on the Steadfast Will, gaining corresponding permissions, training, and duties.
To welcome this new member, and to slightly ease the tense nerves during the intense preparations, Cliff, Luna, and Dorian held a small, extremely simple welcome ceremony for Lina in Second Squad's common lounge (Thor was currently unable to leave the medical bay).
There was no grand celebration, just some synthetic food paste, slightly better than usual, specially prepared by the kitchen, and a cup of low-alcohol energy drink. The lounge was simply decorated, with a crude electronic banner hanging that read, "Welcome Sister Lina."
"Come on, come on! Little one! You're one of us now!" Dorian boisterously picked up a drink (his was a special high-energy type) and handed it to the somewhat flustered Lina, "Although you can't charge into battle like us, doing well in logistics and technical support is still serving the Emperor! And you can still get revenge on those Word Bearers scum!"
Lina held the cup, her small face flushed with excitement and shyness, and she nodded vigorously: "I will work hard, Sir Dorian!"
"Just call me brother! Or like Luna, call me Sergeant!" Dorian grinned, patting Lina's shoulder with force, nearly making her stumble.
Cliff smiled gently and handed her a data-slate: "This is your new authorization ID and initial training plan. Sister Luna will be responsible for your main training, and I will also teach you some basic battlefield first aid and self-protection knowledge. Welcome, Lina. This is your home now."
Lina took the data-slate, looking at her name and new identification code on it, and her eyes welled up again. She had lost one home, but it seemed she had found a new sense of belonging here.
Sister Luna, in contrast, was relatively calm. She simply picked up her own cup, raised it slightly towards Lina, her tone as calm as ever: "Do your job well. If you encounter any problems, ask me anytime."
Although the words were brief, Lina could feel the recognition and expectation within them. She nodded heavily: "Yes, Sister Luna! I will definitely become your capable assistant!"
The simple ceremony and plain words brought a long-lost warmth and hope to this girl who had endured countless hardships. She clutched the data-slate tightly, as if holding an incredibly precious treasure.
Just then, Sergeant Golden and Gaius also returned to the lounge. Gorden looked tired, but seeing the scene before him, he still managed a relieved smile. Gaius silently walked to the side, picked up a glass of water, his eyes still thoughtful.
"Looks like we missed the welcome party?" Gorden chuckled, "Welcome, Lina. You'll have to work even harder now."
"Yes, Sergeant!" Lina immediately stood at attention and responded loudly, which made Dorian laugh again.
The small interlude quickly passed, and the ship's internal alarm sounded again, signaling a new round of patrol duties or combat readiness checks. Joy was fleeting; war was the eternal theme.
But this little bit of warmth and acceptance, for Lina, and for these warriors who had long fought on the brink of death, was perhaps one of the important lights that sustained them.
Lina deeply buried that warmth in her heart and followed Luna to the monitoring room, beginning her first official task as a technical assistant. Her future was destined to be closely intertwined with this warship and these blue giants. And the storm ahead remained unknown and perilous.
....
The Steadfast Will spent another two tense, quiet days in orbit around Gloom IV.
The main force of the 7th Company had not yet arrived, but the Steel Paladins' warships had intensified patrols of the surrounding area, and the fighting on the surface of Gloom IV seemed to have entered an eerie standstill due to the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh's retreat, like the calm before a storm.
The bridge's sensors suddenly detected a strong, unnatural Warp fluctuation.
Before the alarm could sound, Luna Aisa silenced it, having received a brief notification from the Grey Knight Captain: reinforcements had arrived.
A dazzling silver light tore open in the void near the Steadfast Will; it wasn't a massive warship, but a small, high-speed assault craft with a unique design, sharp lines, and covered in countless mysterious runes, silently emerging from the Warp like a swordfish leaping from the water, its engines making almost no noise.
This silver assault craft did not request docking but directly released a small transport pod, also covered in runes.
The transport pod precisely cut into the Steadfast Will's hangar, as naturally as if returning home.
Inside the hangar, the Grey Knight Captain was already waiting.
The airtight door opened, and three tall figures calmly stepped out of the transport pod.
They also wore silver-grey Terminator armor, but the runes on them were even more ancient and complex, and the psychic pressure they exuded was even more condensed and profound than that of the previous three!
They were the elite of the Grey Knights, true Terminator veterans!
The leading Terminator had more ornate decorations on his armor, with unique lightning and holy hammer insignia on his shoulder pads.
He wielded not a common force weapon, but an extremely rare and powerful double-bladed storm halberd, both ends of its blades shimmering with chilling silver psychic lightning, clearly indicating he was an experienced Terminator Captain.
To his left was an exceptionally burly Terminator, with a prominent upright crest above his helmet, like some sacred diadem.
He held an unimaginably large long-handled demon-smashing hammer, its head nearly half his body size, inscribed with runes of suppression and destruction; merely looking at him, one could feel the terrifying power capable of crushing mountains.
The Terminator on the right was equipped differently.
He carried two large ranged weapons crossed on his back—an enhanced, thick-barreled heavy plasma cannon, and a sleek, silver medium assault cannon with a barrel covered in purification runes.
His presence meant this squad possessed extremely strong medium-to-long-range suppressive fire and purification capabilities.
These three new Grey Knight Terminators were like three moving silver fortresses; their arrival instantly made the originally spacious hangar seem a bit crowded.
They walked towards the Grey Knight Captain, and there was no verbal communication between the four of them, only a slight flicker of their helmet visors and extremely subtle psychic fluctuations, through which they exchanged information and saluted.
"Reinforcements have arrived," the Grey Knight Captain's cold voice for the first time seemed to carry a hint of… relief?
"Situation brief received.
Objective: hunt the heavily wounded and fleeing Greater Daemon of Slaanesh, prevent it from recovering or summoning more reinforcements."
The new Terminator Captain nodded slightly, his voice, muffled by his faceplate, was deeper and full of authority: "Purification priority: highest.
Depart immediately."
There were no extra pleasantries, no rest, not even any communication with others on the ship.
These new Grey Knight Terminators seemed to exist purely as tools for their mission.
Just then, Lex and Dorian happened to pass by the hangar and saw the three new Grey Knight Terminators emanating a terrifying aura.
Lex nudged Dorian with his elbow, his mechanical prosthetic finger pointing to the Terminator with the massive smashing hammer, a mischievous glint in his electronic eyes, and he whispered, "Hey, Dorian, see that big guy?
His hammer looks a lot more powerful than your fist.
Aren't you going to beat him up?
Maybe you can teach him a few tricks."
Dorian's eyes widened as he looked at the Grey Knight Terminator who seemed to be able to crush the floor just by standing there, especially that gigantic demon hammer that looked like it could smash him, armor and all, into a tiny pancake.
He swallowed hard and shook his head like a rattle: "Bullshit!
I'm reckless, not stupid!
Fight a monster like that?
I want to live a few more years!"
He seemed to feel he hadn't expressed his "wisdom" enough and added, "If you want to fight, you go!
I think the one with the big hammer suits you perfectly!"
Dorian, on the other hand, shrank his neck, completely abandoning the idea of provoking a Grey Knight again—at least not a Grey Knight in Terminator armor.
Lex let out a low, metallic-sounding chuckle, no longer teasing him.
The two watched from a distance as the five Grey Knights boarded the small transport pod they had arrived in, quickly leaving the Steadfast Will and flying towards the silver assault craft.
Clearly, they would use it as a temporary base before heading off to hunt the injured Greater Daemon of Slaanesh.
"They really are… a bunch of monsters…" Dorian muttered, watching the disappearing transport pod, his tone this time filled with pure awe, devoid of any hint of provocation.
With the departure of the five Grey Knights, the suffocating psychic pressure in the hangar lessened considerably.
But not all Grey Knights had left.
Valerius, the Grey Knight who had been injured earlier, emerged from the shadows.
His shoulder pad had been repaired and re-blessed, and although his psychic glow was still not as strong as his companions', his movements were unimpeded.
He had been ordered to remain on the Steadfast Will, partly to continue monitoring Gaius' condition, and partly to assist in the ship's defense against a potential Slaanesh daemon counterattack.
Valerius' presence still made the crew feel pressured.
He usually stayed alone in a designated area, meditating or maintaining his equipment, rarely communicating with anyone, and the cold gaze that occasionally swept over them through his visor always sent shivers down their spines.
After Sergeant Golden learned of the situation, he called a squad meeting.
"The main force of the Grey Knights has gone to hunt that Greater Daemon, which is good news," Gorden said.
"But Brother Valerius staying behind also means the danger is not far off.
Slaanesh daemons are very likely to attack again, and we must maintain maximum alert.
Luna, strengthen sensor monitoring in all areas, especially Warp fluctuation detection.
Cliff, coordinate internal ship defense, allocate firing points.
Dorian, Lex, be ready for boarding actions at any time.
Gaius…"
Gorden looked at Gaius: "…You are still the priority.
Whatever reason the Grey Knights had for leaving Brother Valerius, you must control your emotions and state even more strictly, and absolutely not give the enemy any opportunity."
Gaius nodded solemnly: "Understood, Sergeant."
After the meeting, everyone took their positions.
The ship once again entered a tense cycle of preparation for battle.
Lina Aisa had already put on her slightly oversized tech-adept uniform and stayed close to Luna Aisa, diligently learning various monitoring and data analysis techniques.
She occasionally encountered Valerius silently patrolling the corridors, each time holding her breath in fear, pressing tightly against the wall until the cold silver figure moved away before daring to breathe.
Thor was recovering well in the medical bay and could already perform some simple activities, but he was still a long way from returning to battle.
He often monitored external ship activity and internal defense deployments via a data-slate, his eyes filled with longing and helplessness.
Dorian and Lex took on the patrol duties for the hangar and main corridors; although they still bantered with each other, their vigilance never wavered.
Cliff was constantly busy, coordinating various departments to ensure the ship maintained efficient operation despite the shortage of primary combat personnel.
Time passed minute by minute in oppressive waiting.
In the distant starry sky, four Grey Knight Terminators, aboard the silver assault craft, were tracking the defiling traces left by the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh; a hunt across the stars had already begun.
And within the Steadfast Will, everyone was waiting, waiting for reinforcements from the 7th Company, or… waiting for Slaanesh's viper-like counterattack.
Valerius stood in the shadows like a silent silver guardian, or perhaps an overseer, waiting for the moment he would need to unleash his purifying fire.
The calm before the storm is often the most grueling.
The oppressive wait, like slowly flowing molten lead, seared the nerves of everyone aboard the Steadfast Will.
The Grey Knights had departed days ago to hunt, and apart from occasional highly encrypted, brief status reports – nothing more than "tracking continues," "traces remain," and the like – no further news had arrived.
The wounded Greater Daemon of Slaanesh was clearly extremely cunning and skilled at concealing its tracks.
It was in this suffocating calm that a small transport ship of the Steel Paladins finally brought much-needed supplies to the Steadfast Will—primarily ammunition, energy cells, replacement parts, and some precious medical supplies.
For the Steadfast Will, which had endured a series of fierce battles and suffered immense attrition, this was undoubtedly a godsend.
The person in charge of the transport ship, a young Steel Paladins Sergeant, had an exceptionally grave expression during the handover of supplies, even showing a hint of unconcealed anxiety.
Sergeant Golden, who personally led the receiving team, noticed his unusual demeanor.
"Brother, it seems the situation on the surface is not optimistic?" Gorden asked in a low voice while checking the manifest.
The young Sergeant gritted his teeth, his voice low and urgent: "Not just not optimistic, Sergeant! It's a complete mess! Ever since... ever since that Greater Daemon was driven off, we all thought we could breathe a sigh of relief, but..."
He took a deep breath, as if needing to muster courage to speak the next words: "...instead of decreasing, daemon attacks have exploded! Not large-scale military assaults, but... infiltration! Harassment! Attacking outlying settlements, mining pits, even patrol teams!"
"Many places have reported seeing daemons! Not illusions! Those twisted things... Daemonettes, Noise Marines... even stranger things... They attack lone civilians, torment them in the most... most horrific ways, then vanish without a trace! Sighting reports are increasing day by day, and people are terrified!"
Gorden's face darkened: "Has Captain Worton not taken action?"
"Of course he has!" The Sergeant's tone was agitated and fearful, "The Captain dispatched three elite squads to investigate and rescue survivors in the three most frequently reported areas... But... But..."
His voice trembled: "...They've all gone silent! Just yesterday! All three squads, completely lost signal! The last signals received were full of interference and... screams! We tried to send people to search, but only found traces of battle and... and some fragments... We couldn't even find many bodies..."
This news hit like a splash of ice water, sending a chill through all the Second Squad members present who heard it.
Three elite Steel Paladins squads, silently devoured just like that? The counterattack of Slaanesh's daemons was more insidious and lethal than they had imagined!
"They're toying with us..." Gaius said in a low voice, his eyes cold, "They're spreading fear, wearing down our strength, waiting for us to make a mistake..."
Gorden heavily slammed his fist on a nearby supply crate, producing a dull thud: "Damn Slaanesh bastards! They certainly won't give up! This counterattack... it's already begun!"
He immediately turned to Cliff behind him: "Notify the entire ship at once! Raise to highest combat readiness! All personnel cancel their rotations! Luna, focus all sensor power, monitor for abnormal energy fluctuations on the planet's surface, especially in those frequently reported areas!"
"Yes, Sergeant!" Cliff and Luna immediately acknowledged and departed.
Just then, the bridge's communications officer ran over, panting: "Sergeant! Urgent communication just received from the Macragge's Honour!"
Gorden's heart tightened, and he immediately connected.
The communication screen did not show Chapter Master Calgar, but the ship's Captain, whose face was extremely grim.
His voice had lost its usual composure, carrying a hint of incredulous panic:
"Sergeant Golden! Emergency! We've lost contact with the 7th Company's main fleet!"
"What?!" Gorden gasped in alarm; this news was even more critical than daemon attacks!
"According to the last information," the Captain spoke rapidly, "the 7th Company fleet was supposed to have completed its final Warp jump and arrived at the outskirts of the Gloom IV system sixteen standard hours ago.
But we have failed to receive their arrival signal, and all attempts to contact them have failed! We can't even locate their Mandeville Point!"
"What about the Macragge's Honour? Can you contact Ultramar?" Gorden asked urgently.
"Already tried! But the Warp background noise in this star sector is unusually intense, as if a massive psychic storm is forming or has just subsided... Long-range communication is extremely difficult, intermittent! We cannot determine if the 7th Company was delayed by a rare Warp storm, or..."
The Captain did not continue, but everyone understood the other possibility—or had they encountered an enemy ambush? The Word Bearers? Or other Chaos forces?
Regardless of the situation, the loss of contact with the 7th Company's main force meant that the Steadfast Will and the Steel Paladins would not receive crucial reinforcements in the foreseeable future!
They would have to face the coming, even fiercer counterattack of Slaanesh's daemons alone!
The communication ended, and a deathly silence fell over the hangar.
Even the Steel Paladins Sergeant who had delivered the supplies looked pale.
Reinforcements were gone... If this news spread, the blow to morale would be devastating.
Gorden felt a wave of dizziness, but he forced himself to calm down.
He was the highest-ranking officer here; he could not panic.
"Strictly confidential!" He ordered everyone present in a sharp voice, "Only officers and Sergeants are to know! It must not spread!"
"Yes!" Everyone responded with difficulty.
But the panic, like an invisible plague, had already begun to spread.
The grave expressions of the officers, the sudden increase in combat readiness, and the long-awaited absence of reinforcements all made the sensitive crew members sense an unusual and dangerous atmosphere.
Valerius appeared at the hangar entrance at some point, his cold gaze sweeping over everyone, as if he had already seen through everything.
He said nothing, merely silently checked his Daemonbane Hammer, then turned and left, continuing his patrol.
His presence, at this moment, was more like a cold reminder—whether there were reinforcements or not, the battle would not stop.
Dorian ran his hand through his hair in frustration: "Damn it! What the hell is going on with those guys from the 7th Company?! Failing us at the crucial moment!"
Lex silently wiped his Heavy Bolter, his mechanical prosthesis humming softly, as if accumulating wrath.
Gaius leaned against the wall, his brows tightly furrowed.
The 7th Company's loss of contact... a Warp storm? The Word Bearers? Behind this, was that pair of blue giant hands, manipulating fate, secretly at work again? The Lord of Change... what exactly did it want?
Luna Aisa was in the monitoring room, data streams scrolling rapidly across the screens in front of her.
She tried to find any trace of the 7th Company fleet amidst the chaotic Warp background noise, or to predict Slaanesh's daemons' most likely next attack direction, but it was all in vain.
The Warp was like a boiling, raging sea, obscuring everything.
Lina stood quietly beside her, helping her process some basic data, her small face also filled with worry and fear.
She secretly glanced at the cursed-looking, grey planet outside the window, subconsciously touching the three special "gifts" in her pocket.
Cliff, meanwhile, was immersed in even more frantic coordination work; he had to build the strongest possible defense with limited resources and a panicked crew.
The Steadfast Will seemed to have become a lonely boat, lost in a storm and cut off from its flagship, drifting alone on a hostile, dark ocean, while beneath the surface, countless bloodthirsty hunters had already bared their fangs.
Slaanesh's counterattack had begun, and the reinforcements they had hoped for were nowhere to be found. The shadow of despair, like the cold starlight of Gloom IV, slowly enveloped the entire warship.
Three days. For three whole days, the Steadfast Will sailed as if under a silent thunderstorm, every second filled with suffocating oppression and uncertainty.
The shadow of the 7th Company's main force losing contact loomed over everyone; although Sergeant Golden tried his best to block the news, the gravity in the eyes of the high-ranking officers and the suddenly elevated battle readiness level were enough for even the dullest crew members to sense that something was terribly wrong.
The atmosphere inside the ship was extremely tense.
The footsteps of the patrol seemed heavier than usual, and every slight alarm or system self-check sound would draw a volley of wary glances.
Lina Isha stayed almost constantly by Luna's side, her large eyes always holding a trace of panic, especially when she occasionally encountered Valerius on silent patrol in the corridors.
She would shrink back behind Luna like a frightened small animal, clutching her clothes tightly, her breathing almost stopping.
To her, this cold, silent, silver giant who she had personally witnessed 'purify' her companions was far more terrifying than those hideous demons.
Valerius was completely unresponsive to this, perhaps not caring at all.
He continued to strictly perform his duties—patrolling, meditating, maintaining weapons.
His very existence was a silent warning and a source of pressure.
Just as this almost unbearable tension continued into the third day, the bridge's communications department finally picked up a faint but stable identification signal from the distant void!
"It's the 7th Company's encrypted signal!!" The communications officer almost jumped out of his seat, his voice distorted with excitement, "They've appeared! They're trying to establish a stable link!"
The news spread like lightning throughout the ship!
Sergeant Golden, Cliff, Luna, and others rushed to the bridge immediately!
After a tense period of signal enhancement and decoding, the familiar face of Captain Cassius of the 7th Company, albeit with clear fatigue and anxiety, finally appeared on the communication screen.
The background behind him was the bridge of the battleship 'Valiant', but it looked like it had been through some turbulence.
"Captain! What exactly happened to you?!" Sergeant Golden asked impatiently, the huge stone in his heart finally easing a little.
Captain Cassius sighed heavily, a look of lingering fear on his face: "Sergeant Golden... it's a long story! We encountered... the Emperor above, I have never seen such a bizarre and powerful Warp storm!"
He described how their fleet, during its last scheduled Warp jump, had its previously stable course suddenly become extremely violent and chaotic without warning!
It was as if an invisible, immense force had forcibly interfered with and twisted the Warp structure, forming an extremely terrifying energy vortex that directly swept the entire 7th Company fleet in like toys, and then violently 'threw' them out!
"When we finally managed to break free and recalibrate our coordinates, we found..." The Captain's voice held a trace of bitterness, "We were thrown nearly ten light-years off our intended course! And several ships suffered varying degrees of structural damage, with engines needing time to cool down and be maintained!"
Nearly ten light-years!
Everyone gasped.
This could absolutely not be explained by an ordinary Warp storm!
"Was it an accident?" Cliff asked with a frown.
The Captain shook his head, his eyes sharp: "It doesn't seem like it.
The turbulence came too suddenly, too targeted... more like a kind of... artificially created interference or trap.
But we can't be sure who, or what, did it."
Warp travel is inherently full of unknowns, but such precise and powerful interference must have a terrifying entity behind it.
Word Bearers? Other Chaos forces? Or even... something more unspeakable?
The speculation was chilling.
"We need at least ten days for emergency repairs and re-navigation before we can reach Gloom IV," Captain Cassius finally said, "You must hold on!
Chapter Master Calgar is already aware of the situation; he orders you to prioritize preserving your strength and hold your ground until reinforcements arrive!"
"Understood! We will hold until you arrive!" Sergeant Golden responded solemnly.
Although it would still be ten days, at least there was definite hope and a goal.
After the communication ended, the atmosphere within the ship visibly relaxed.
The reinforcements had not vanished, merely been unexpectedly delayed.
Although ten days was still long, it was better than endless waiting.
Immediately following, another piece of good news arrived.
The Chapter Master of the Steel Paladins, upon learning of the 7th Company's delay and the worsening situation on the surface, showed decisiveness.
He no longer dispersed his forces in passive defense but directly ordered the deployment of three full companies of Steel Paladins, who, aboard assault boats and Thunderhawk Gunships, forcefully descended onto the surface of Gloom IV.
They launched a large-scale, carpet-style cleansing operation against the areas with the most frequent reports of demonic activity!
The Steel Paladins might lack special means to deal with demons, but they possessed absolute firepower, discipline, and determination.
The three companies of Astartes, like three grey iron combs, swept across the surface with thunderous force; wherever they went, the scattered resistance of traitors and demons was swiftly crushed.
While unable to eradicate the evil hidden in the deepest parts, they greatly curbed the rampant activities of Slaanesh demons and temporarily stabilized the situation.
"Well done! That's more like it!" Dorian exclaimed, excitedly punching a wall as he watched the combat footage transmitted from the surface, "That's how you drag all those scum hiding in the sewers out and kill them!"
Even the usually silent Valerius, upon receiving the Steel Paladins' action report, seemed to have his cold gaze flicker slightly, as if in approval.
Although their methods differed, their goal was consistent.
The situation seemed to be improving.
Reinforcements were on the way, allies on the surface were actively cleansing, and the ship's internal defenses were increasingly consolidated.
Even the constantly tense Lina seemed to relax a little; although she still feared Valerius, at least she no longer trembled with fright.
"Looks like those Grey Knights won't be back for a while," Dorian muttered during a break, "I wonder how they're doing?
Can they handle that Greater Daemon? Speaking of which... who can take down that Terminator with the oversized hammer?
I guess a Greater Daemon of Khorne would have to come personally, right?"
His tone already carried a hint of teasing reverence for the Grey Knights' power, rather than his previous fear.
Lex snorted, not answering, simply continuing to maintain his weapon.
Gaius, however, remained silent.
He always felt that all of this seemed too 'smooth'.
The 7th Company's accident, though dangerous, resulted in no casualties, merely a delay.
The Steel Paladins' counterattack, though fierce, seemed to encounter no truly powerful resistance... were those Slaanesh demons really so easily suppressed?
And what about the four Grey Knights who hadn't been heard from for so long... was their hunt truly just a matter of distant communication failure?
The unease in his heart did not dissipate with the improving situation; instead, it grew stronger.
Slaanesh's greatest skill was to toy with the emotions of his prey, giving hope only to then crush it completely.
And demons loved nothing more than when their guard was down...
The Steadfast Will seemed to have sailed into a brief period of calm waters, but no one knew what deadly undercurrents lay beneath this tranquil surface.
Valerius continued to patrol like a statue, his silver armor reflecting a cold sheen in the lights, as if silently reminding them—the true test, perhaps, had yet to come.
Ten days... these ten days would become incredibly long.
Just as Gaius' lingering unease in his heart had foreboded, the next ten days were far from peaceful.
The situation on Gloom IV, far from stabilizing due to the Steel Paladins' large-scale cleansing, erupted completely, like cold water thrown into boiling oil!
The first to strike was the surface.
Just as the three companies of Steel Paladins were advancing triumphantly, seemingly about to sweep away all the demons, Slaanesh's minions launched a near-frenzied counterattack!
They no longer hid but surged out like a tide from the deepest, most foul tunnels and machine crypts!
Among them even appeared more powerful demonic entities and deeply mutated Emperor's Children!
The battle on the surface instantly transformed from a cleansing operation into an incomparably brutal war of attrition and a tug-of-war.
Although the Steel Paladins were brave and well-equipped, they still paid a heavy price in confronting these cunning demons who specialized in psychic attacks.
Every day, Sergeant Golden and others received distress signals and casualty reports from the surface; the intensity of the fighting far exceeded imagination.
The Chapter Master of the Steel Paladins had no choice but to commit more reserve forces and even personally went to the surface to oversee the battle.
However, the true bad news came from orbit.
Just as the fierce battle raged on the surface, a large-scale demonic invasion erupted without warning inside the Steel Paladins' main battleship, the Steadfast Will, which was responsible for providing orbital support and command!
No one knew how they bypassed layers of detection and the Geller Field to appear inside the ship. It was as if they had materialized out of thin air! Large numbers of Daemonettes, Noise Marines, and even more grotesque creations of Slaanesh appeared simultaneously in the ship's most critical areas—the engine room, weapon arrays, and near the bridge—furiously attacking every living thing they saw!
Although caught off guard, the Steel Paladins warriors remaining on the Steadfast Will still displayed astonishing discipline and courage, engaging in a desperate, no-quarter struggle against the demons! Passageways became meat grinders, and the flashes of laser and bolter fire flickered wildly within the compartments.
But the demon attack was too sudden and precise. An experienced, ancient adjutant, leading the Honor Guard in an attempt to retake the engine control room, was unfortunately stabbed through the neck joint of his power armor by a hidden Slaanesh assassin's poisoned blade, dying heroically on the spot!
The adjutant's death dealt a heavy blow to the Steel Paladins' morale and caused the ship's command system to fall into chaos for a time. Although the demons within the ship were temporarily repelled after a great cost, the Steadfast Will was also heavily scarred, with multiple systems damaged, making it difficult to provide effective orbital support in the short term.
When the news reached the Steadfast Will, everyone's mood grew even heavier. Slaanesh's counterattack was so fierce and cunning, completely beyond the expectations of conventional tactics.
In contrast, the Steadfast Will had been unusually "calm" during this period. Apart from routine patrols and high alert, it had not suffered any substantial attacks. Valerius continued his silent daily patrols, like a moving silver statue. But this calm made Gaius' unease grow stronger.
Too quiet… too abnormal…
Gloom IV had been full of strangeness from the very beginning. The erroneous intelligence that identified the Dark Mechanicum as the primary threat… the sudden appearance of the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh and its legion… the "accidental" Warp turbulence encountered by the 7th Company… the insane pressure endured by the Steel Paladins on the ground and in orbit… and the battleship he was on seemed to be forgotten…
All of this, coupled with his inexplicable left arm, and the terrifying "Daemon Gaius" projection deep within his consciousness…
A terrible thought, like a venomous snake, slithered into Gaius' mind:
Behind all this, was there from the very beginning a pair of blue giant hands, manipulating knowledge and destiny, keen on paradox and change, secretly orchestrating everything?
Could it be… another Tzeentchian plot?
Using Slaanesh's threat to consume and tie down Imperial forces? Using his own uniqueness as some kind of… bait or catalyst? Even using the Grey Knights to achieve some unknown purpose?
This thought sent shivers down his spine. If this were true, then every step they took might have already been within the calculations of some supreme being.
It was in this atmosphere of suspicion and oppression that the five Grey Knights, who had been missing for so long, finally sent back word—they had returned.
They still rode in the silver small assault ship, silently returning to the Steadfast Will's hangar. Five went, and five returned, but their once brilliant silver armor was now dull, covered in various indescribable corrosion marks and energy burns, clearly having endured a battle far beyond imagination.
The Grey Knight Captain's voice came through his faceplate, carrying a rare hint of weariness and… helplessness?
"The target… is extremely cunning. We tracked it to a twisted domain deep within the Warp, where space-time was chaotic and perceptions inverted. They used the terrain to their advantage, having no desire to fight, only to flee and entangle… as if playing a game." His tone held suppressed anger, "Within the Warp, demons have an absolute advantage, and their recovery speed far exceeds that of the real universe. Ultimately… it escaped us."
The Warp was the demons' home ground; even for the powerful Grey Knights, hunting a Greater Daemon intent on escape deep within it was fraught with difficulty, and they could even be caught in a trap themselves. Their full return was already a testament to their resilience.
The Grey Knights' return did not bring news of victory; instead, it confirmed that the threat of the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh still existed and had become even more cunning and elusive.
After several more agonizing days, at the end of the tenth day, accompanied by the familiar roar of engines and the vast shadow of ships obscuring the starry sky, the main fleet of the 7th Company finally arrived in the Gloom IV system after many twists and turns!
Although the 7th Company's flagship, the "Valiant," and its escort ships all bore clear signs of repairs, they still exuded the unique majesty and power of the Ultramarines. Large numbers of Thunderhawk Gunships and transport ships flew out of the fleet, like a swarm of returning bees; some went to support the embattled Steel Paladins on the surface, while others headed directly for the Steadfast Will.
Captain Cassius of the 7th Company personally led a team aboard the Steadfast Will. After a brief meeting with Sergeant Golden, he immediately convened all officers.
The Captain's expression was serious; without any pleasantries, he directly conveyed the latest orders from Chapter Master Calgar:
"According to the highest priority report from the Grey Knights Chapter to Macragge, regarding the abnormal situation in the Gloom IV star system and the assessment of Brother Hohn Gaius' condition…" Captain Cassius' gaze swept over Gaius, with a hint of complexity, "…Chapter Master Calgar himself has ordered: Given the extremely high risk of the current mission, and the unpredictable variables that the unstable factors within Brother Hohn might bring, Second Squad's original mission is terminated immediately!"
"The entire 7th Company (excluding Second Squad) will take over all your duties on Gloom IV, cooperating with the Steel Paladins Chapter to continue the mission of clearance and purification."
"All of Second Squad, return immediately with the Steadfast Will to the Macragge's Honour for further assessment and instructions."
The order was clear and sudden, with no room for maneuver. Evidently, the Grey Knights' report and Gaius' "instability" led Chapter Master Calgar to decide to remove him from the front line and place him under more direct monitoring.
Sergeant Golden opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately just replied in a deep voice: "Understood, Captain."
Dorian and the others exchanged glances; although they felt a touch of relief at leaving this accursed place early, being "repatriated" in this manner left a somewhat bitter taste in their mouths, especially for Gaius.
Captain Cassius paused, then added: "Furthermore, the six Grey Knight Sirs will also return with the Steadfast Will. This is a decision by the Grey Knights Chapter, aimed at ensuring… the safety of the journey and the continuity of subsequent assessments."
This meant that the oppressive silver surveillance would continue.
After the meeting, during the personnel handover and material transfer in the hangar, Dorian finally had the opportunity to see the three newly returned Grey Knight Terminators up close.
As the Terminator wielding a massive long-handled Daemonhammer walked past him, Dorian couldn't help but look up, taking a sharp intake of breath.
"The Emperor above…" he muttered, "This guy… is too big?!"
The Terminator's physique was far more imposing than that of an ordinary Terminator; the heavy Terminator armor, combined with that terrifying giant hammer, made him look like a mobile mountain of metal. Just being close to him, one could feel an oppressive and powerful aura. All of Dorian's previous thoughts about "sparring" had long vanished, leaving only the most primal awe. He had no doubt that one gentle swing of that hammer could smash him into cosmic dust.
Lina, seeing so many Grey Knights gathered, turned even paler with fright, hiding tightly behind Luna, not daring to show her head.
Gaius silently watched all this. The reassignment order, the Grey Knights' "escort," the Chapter Master's concern based on "instability"… all of it seemed to confirm his suspicions. He felt as if he was enveloped by an invisible net, being pushed step by step towards some unknown, perhaps already destined, fate.
The Steadfast Will slowly adjusted its course, left the orbit of Gloom IV, and under the watchful eyes of the 7th Company's fleet, began to sail into the vast star sea, embarking on its return journey to the Macragge's Honour.
On the ship, there was the regret of an unfulfilled mission, the complex emotions of being reassigned, and deep doubts about the future. And the six silent Grey Knights, like six silver shadows, also went along, binding the fate of this ship and the core region of Ultramar even more closely together.
The Steadfast Will disengaged from Gloom IV's gravity well, slowly entering a stable long-distance travel route, heading towards the core region of Ultramar. However, the atmosphere within the ship did not lighten much. The regret of the mission being terminated midway, the uncertainty of the future, and the six Grey Knights, existing like silent silver mountains, made the air feel somewhat stagnant.
Soon, however, the crew discovered that these three new Grey Knights Terminators seemed subtly different from the previous three. They were equally powerful, equally dedicated to their mission, but they seemed... to possess a hint of an ineffeffable 'humanity,' or rather, they didn't deliberately maintain that suffocating absolute distance from mortals.
The Terminator Captain, Angerthas, the leader wielding a twin-bladed power halberd, didn't always stay in the designated meditation area. He occasionally appeared in main corridors, even stopping to engage in brief, usually one-sided 'small talk' with Planetary Defense Forces soldiers on duty.
For instance, he would point at a soldier's meticulously polished lasgun and, in his deep, rumbling voice that was still amplified, say: "The maintenance status of this weapon... is acceptable. Superior to many Astra Militarum units we have encountered."
The soldier being addressed was often scared witless, stammering in response: "Th-thank you, Sir! We... we maintain them daily as required!"
Angerthas would give a slight nod, a movement that made his armor emit a heavy scraping sound, then continue his deck-shaking stride, leaving behind several soldiers who were on the verge of collapse.
And the Terminator with the vertical crest and the gigantic Daemon Hammer, Hoss, was even more surprising. When he encountered mortal crew members saluting him, he would sometimes raise his other equally massive hand, the one not holding the hammer, and clumsily wave it as a return greeting. Although the gesture more closely resembled preparing for a strike, always causing the mortal opposite him to nearly have a heart attack, they would still nervously and flattered return an even more exaggerated salute.
The most outlandish was the Terminator carrying long-range weaponry, Kazatoki. Once, he saw a young female mechanic struggling to tighten a pipe valve, her focused, oil-stained face looking particularly earnest under the lights.
Kazatoki stopped, his sensor-covered helmet turning slightly, seemingly observing. Then, he attempted to express admiration in his flat, emotionless electronic voice, saying: "This mortal female... facial bone structure symmetry... and skin complexion... meet the 'beautiful' definition in human aesthetic standards. Efficiency is acceptable."
His intention was likely to praise her beauty and diligent work.
However, when the female mechanic heard this giant silver figure suddenly speak to her, and with such 'bizarre' content, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted directly onto the deck without a sound!
Kazatoki clearly hadn't anticipated this outcome; his massive body seemed to stiffen for a moment. He looked left and right, somewhat at a loss, then, surprisingly flustered, called for a medic over his comms: "Medical unit... urgent... Section Four... B7 corridor... a female mortal... vital signs rapidly declining... cause... unknown!"
When the medics arrived, trembling with fear, they saw the silver giant standing beside the unconscious girl, appearing somewhat 'at a loss,' which made their legs go weak. They practically crawled over to check on the girl. It was later proven that the girl had only been overly startled and quickly recovered, but it left her with a considerable psychological trauma.
These small incidents quickly spread throughout the ship, and the crew's perception of these three new Grey Knights Terminators became very complex—still reverent and fearful, but also feeling that they seemed... less 'unfeeling'? Even a little... clumsily 'cute'? Of course, no one dared to actually use that word.
This complex emotion reached its peak when the three Terminators visited the Second Squad's common room.
That day, the members of Second Squad (except for Sol, who was still recovering) were gathered in the common room. Gorden and Cliff were studying star charts, Lex was maintaining his weapon, Dorian was complaining about the blandness of the synthetic food, Gaius sat silently, and Luna was instructing Lina on analyzing some basic data.
Suddenly, the light in the entire common room dimmed, and three colossal figures almost completely blocked the doorway! The massive Terminator armor, radiating a faint psychic silver glow, instantly made the previously spacious common room seem incredibly small!
Captain Angerthas lowered his head slightly, attempting to enter, but his overly wide shoulder pads and the blade of his storm halberd on his back inevitably scraped hard against both sides of the doorframe!
A teeth-grinding sound of metal twisting rang out! The sturdy alloy doorframe was instantly squeezed out of shape, denting inwards, and even developing cracks!
The three Grey Knights Terminators thus 'squeezed' into the common room. They stood there, almost filling all available space, leaving no room for anyone else to stand up. Everyone could only look up at these three silver towers.
Lina was sitting next to Luna. Seeing these three enormous silver giants, especially the one with the terrifying massive hammer, suddenly appear, she felt a 'buzz' in her brain, a complete blank. Her small face instantly turned ashen white, the data-slate in her hand clattered to the floor, and her body stiffened so much she forgot to breathe, on the verge of following in the footsteps of the female mechanic.
Luna immediately reached out to steady her, her calm gaze meeting the Grey Knights'.
Hoss, the Terminator with the massive hammer, his gaze swept over Lina, who was on the verge of fainting, and seemed to notice the delicate Grey Knight figurine that had slipped from her pocket when her data-slate fell. He extended a massive, armored finger, carefully pointing at the figurine, trying to make his voice sound gentler, but with little success:
"Small... battle-brother, this object... design... is it similar to a miniature version of... me? Both wield... hammer-like striking units." Although he carried a long-handled Daemon Hammer, and the figurine was more like a standard Daemon Hammer, the details were completely dissimilar.
Lina was too terrified to speak, her teeth chattering.
Luna answered for her, her voice calm and even: "Sir, this figurine was a gift from a Grey Knight Sir, and is a general symbol of the Grey Knights, not specific to any individual."
"I see, Kaldor... once mentioned... this to me," Hoss seemed a little disappointed, but still nodded, his armor emitting a heavy scraping sound.
Captain Angerthas leaned forward slightly, a movement that made his head almost touch the ceiling. His rotating visors swept over everyone in the common room, finally settling on Gaius, and his deep voice rang out: "My name is Angerthas, Grey Knight Chapter Terminator Squad Captain. These are my squad members, Hoss, and Kazatoki."
He introduced them formally, but his tone was not as cold as the previous captain's.
"We have heard... that there is an individual on this ship 'of interest' to the Lord of Change." Angerthas' gaze held undisguised curiosity as he looked at Gaius, "Therefore, we have come... to observe."
Gaius felt immense pressure, but he remained composed, rising to salute: "Gaius. Thank you for your previous rescue, Sirs."
Angerthas nodded slightly in return: "It was our duty. Your condition... is indeed peculiar." He seemed to want to ask something else, but looked at the surroundings and the others, and decided not to delve deeper for now.
Then, the Terminator Captain seemed content to stand there and 'chat' with Second Squad. Their massive bodies made the common room incredibly crowded, and the atmosphere was quite awkward for a while.
Lex looked at the three behemoths before him, especially Hoss with the massive hammer, then at Dorian, who looked like a scaredy-cat beside him, and suddenly felt mischievous. He nudged Dorian with his bionic arm, then, facing Hoss, said in his flat, emotionless electronic voice: "Sir Hoss, this brother Declan Catonia, previously boasted that he wanted to... 'spar' with you and test the weight of your hammer."
Dorian's eyes instantly widened, his face turning green. He whirled around to glare at Lex, almost jumping up: "Lex! What the hell are you talking about! When did I ever say that?!" He frantically waved his hands at Hoss, his voice changing pitch: "No! Absolutely not! Sir! Don't listen to his nonsense! My respect for you is like a surging river..."
Hoss' massive helmet turned towards Dorian, his visors flickering, seemingly... intrigued? He let out a low chuckle, like an engine rumbling: "Oh? Daring to challenge the strong? Commendable courage. I admire such spirit. I am... always... ready."
Dorian was on the verge of tears, wishing he could dismantle Lex's bionic arm, and could only repeatedly assure them with a mournful face that he had no such intention.
Angerthas seemed to find the scene amusing and didn't intervene. His gaze swept around, spotting the Grey Knight figurine Lina had dropped on the table, then looked at Lina, who was as terrified as a quail. He was silent for a moment, then pulled something out of a storage compartment on his armor.
It was a colossal, black and red tusk, curved like a dagger, still bearing traces of terrifying energy and a hint of unsettling, violent aura.
"This object," Angerthas handed the massive tusk to Lina, who immediately closed her eyes in fright, "was taken by me from the mouth of a Greater Daemon of Khorne during a Warp engagement. It contains a small amount of... violent psychic energy, but it has been purified. Perhaps... it could serve as your protective charm?"
He seemed to be trying to express goodwill or comfort the terrified little girl in this way, though his method was quite frightening.
Lina didn't dare to take it, so Luna took it for her in the end. The tusk was heavy and cold: "Thank you for your gift, Sir."
Kazatoki then looked at Luna, who had remained calm. His flat electronic voice spoke again: "This female Tech-Sergeant... possesses clear logic and excellent efficiency. And... her facial features also conform to the definition of 'beauty'. Superior to the previous fainted individual."
Luna: "..."
Gorden and Cliff watched, dumbfounded. This scene was simply... too surreal.
The three Grey Knights Terminators seemed quite satisfied with this 'exchange'. They 'chatted' for a while longer in the crowded lounge, mainly Angerthas asking about the ship and the previous battle. Gorden answered cautiously until they felt it was enough.
As they prepared to leave, Angerthas looked at the doorframe, which had been warped when they entered, and seemed to notice the problem for the first time. He turned to Gorden, his tone carrying a hint of... apology?
"This structure... appears damaged due to our entry," he stated. "It was not intentional. Apologies."
Gorden quickly said it was fine and easy to repair.
The three giants then laboriously 'squeezed' out of the lounge, their heavy footsteps gradually fading away.
The members of the Second Squad were left in the messy lounge, staring at the warped doorframe, speechless for a long time.
Dorian slumped back into his chair, wiping cold sweat: "Damn it... these Grey Knights... they're all... weirder than the last. They speak so formally, bullying me for my lack of education."
Lex's mechanical prosthetic arm made a faint clicking sound, as if he was chuckling.
Gaius looked at the warped doorframe, and the strange feeling in his heart grew stronger. These Grey Knights... seemed different from what he had understood before?
And Lina, looking at the terrifying Greater Daemon tusk in Luna's hand, and then touching the small figurine in her pocket, the fear on her little face seemed... to have diminished slightly? Perhaps?
The long Warp journey continued day after day. The Steadfast Will, like a silent metal whale, moved steadily through the bizarre, unreal ocean. The crew gradually grew accustomed to the 'surprises' and minor chaos occasionally brought by the three Grey Knights Terminators. For Angerthas, Hoss, and Kazatoki, these three relatively 'active' giants, everyone's initial extreme fear slowly transformed into a kind of awe-filled, incredulous acceptance. After all, a giant killing machine that would discuss weapon maintenance with you, or even compliment your appearance, was slightly more 'approachable' than one that remained completely silent and treated you as if you didn't exist.
Of course, everyone still maintained absolute distance and reverence for the Grey Knight Captain, Valerius, and the other member. Those three truly embodied the cold image of the Grey Knights from legends.
The Second Squad's lounge almost became a regular 'checkpoint' for Angerthas and his two companions. Their massive bodies inevitably 'intimately contacted' the doorframe every time they entered or exited. That poor alloy door was repaired only to break again, and again, to the point where the Tech-Sergeants were losing their patience. In the end, Cliff even considered just removing the door altogether.
The long journey clearly made these battle-hardened Terminators somewhat bored. During a routine 'visit', they even began to analyze the details of how the Greater Daemon of Slaanesh escaped on Gloom IV.
"Spatio-temporal structure abnormally distorted..." Angerthas' deep voice echoed in the cramped lounge. His massive fingers carefully gestured on the table, as if describing the scene at the time, "...Perception was severely interfered with. They did not simply rely on speed; it was more like... utilizing some 'fold' or 'shortcut' in the Warp itself."
Hoss, with his intimidating great hammer that was almost never out of his hand, gave a muffled affirmation: "A cunning eel! If it were in the real universe, I would smash it and that entire area with one blow!" As he said this, his gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep over Dorian, who immediately shrank his neck, pretending to study the scratches on the wall.
Kazatoki supplemented the data with his flat electronic voice: "According to the analysis of the last captured energy residue, the energy level consumed during its escape far exceeded the normal threshold... It is suspected that an external force intervened, providing additional thrust or... navigation?"
Their discussion was professional and in-depth, leaving Gorden and Gaius wide-eyed and giving them a new understanding of the Grey Knights' expertise beyond just combat prowess.
Lina also seemed to gradually adapt to the presence of these three giants. Although she was still too intimidated to speak loudly by their massive size and oppressive presence whenever they came, at least she no longer nearly fainted like before. She even mustered the courage to carefully clean the Khorne Greater Daemon tusk Angerthas had given her, using a lot of disinfectant. Though still grim and terrifying, at least the faint smell of blood was gone. She placed it next to her pillow on her bunk, alongside the worn Ultramarines plushie and the exquisite Grey Knights figurine. These three vastly different 'gifts' seemed to form her small, peculiar emotional anchors.
Angerthas seemed to notice that Lina was no longer so afraid of them. This Terminator Captain almost daily exercised his undeniable privilege, going directly to the bridge during mealtimes to 'appropriate' the Captain's special meal.
The Captain's meal was naturally much more refined than the synthetic gruel of ordinary crew and soldiers, occasionally even containing some real natural food. When Angerthas' huge body stood in the bridge mess hall, he didn't even need to speak; the head chef would tremblingly hand him the best portion.
Then, this Terminator Captain would take that pitifully miniature meal (to him), and with heavy footsteps, go to the Second Squad's lounge or Luna's tech-room, find Lina, hand her the box of food, and say in his booming voice: "This item... has higher nutritional content. Suitable for juvenile individuals in their growth and development phase."
His reasoning was direct and 'self-righteous,' as if it were the most natural thing. Lina was flattered and waved her hands repeatedly in fright, but under Angerthas' undeniable and slightly clumsy gaze of concern, she finally quietly thanked him and accepted it. These items indeed made her complexion, which had been somewhat malnourished from eating synthetic gruel every day, much rosier.
Hoss found another 'entertainment' activity—he often ran to the area where the Grey Knight Captain, Valerius, and another squad member meditated or stood guard, and babbled at them. Though the three remained like true stone statues, completely unresponsive.
"Captain, your psychic control precision seems to have improved by another 0.3%..."
"Valerius, your wound recovery rate is 12% below expectations; I recommend increasing your psychic circulation..."
"Kaldor (the Grey Knight who fought Dorian), your duration of silence has set a new record..."
Hoss' muffled voice echoed like background noise, but the three subjects of his babbling still observed their noses and hearts, as if they heard nothing.
The most unexpected was Kazatoki. This heavy-weapon-laden Terminator somehow ended up in the resting area of the few Planetary Defense Forces soldiers responsible for security onboard.
He watched the soldiers maintain their lasguns, seemingly finding their efficiency too low. Then, to the soldiers' horror, he extended his enormous fingers, capable of crushing a tank, and with an astonishing precision and dexterity completely unsuited to his size, picked up the small tools and began to help them calibrate and maintain their weapons!
His movements were fast and excellent. The lasguns he touched had their calibration accuracy and energy output stability improved by a notch! As he worked, he also explained key points in his flat electronic voice. Although the technical jargon left the Planetary Defense Forces soldiers bewildered, they were still utterly impressed.
Occasionally, he would pause, pat the silver medium assault cannon on his back, and recount glorious achievements in a flat tone: "...During the final evacuation phase of the Fall of Catonia, I used this unit to continuously fire for 4.3 standard hours at the edge of the Warp rift... repelling seven tides of swarming Pink Horrors... with an average headshot rate of 97.4%..."
The Planetary Defense Forces soldiers listened, dumbfounded, their eyes filled with reverence as they looked at the assault cannon, as if it were a sacred relic.
Thus, on the long journey home, these three Grey Knights Terminators, each with a distinct personality, integrated into the life of the Steadfast Will in a most unexpected way. They no longer brought pure fear and oppression, but also various amusing yet memorable little incidents.
The ship continued to sail through the tides of the Warp. The destination grew closer, while the uncertainties of the future and the unsolved mystery surrounding Gaius still loomed like a shadow. But at least during this journey, thanks to these three 'different' silver-armored giants, the atmosphere was no longer so cold and despairing.