The Phalanx was essentially a magnificent space Hive City, a cathedral suspended in space.
Towering spires and arched bridges intertwined, forming a complex architectural cluster.
It was often described as a ship 'thousands of kilometers long, triangular in cross-section, its surface covered with weapons and sensor domes'.
Its hull was covered with sturdy armor, and at its angles stood torpedo launchers and lance batteries.
It was a magnificent war fortress, the home world of the Imperial Fists, and a symbol of humanity's past glory.
At this moment, the Phalanx was docked at the midpoint between Terra and Luna, serving as a sentinel for the Throne World, like an eagle perched in its nest, surveying all directions.
Various repair platforms and servo-armaments were currently repairing the Phalanx, their bright welding arcs resembling shining stars.
The scars left by the battles in the Cadia system were truly shocking; any one of those scars could destroy a battleship, tearing it to shreds.
Yet, many such scars could be seen on the Phalanx, which speaks volumes about the Phalanx's power and the ferocity of the Battle of Cadia Fortress.
The closer Guilliman got to Terra, the more uneasy he became.
The void was littered with the wreckage of warships, both Imperial Fists and traitors.
The Adeptus Mechanicus's central decontamination ships and salvage barges were busy clearing the debris, pushing away discarded wreckage or melting it down for reforging.
The flames of war had already reached humanity's home planet, and the situation was far more severe than imagined; other areas would likely be even worse.
The landing craft slowly entered Terra's landing orbit.
The Players crowded by the portholes, observing the Throne World.
Void fortresses and weapon defense platforms floated in deep space, their dense muzzles showcasing terrifying destructive power.
Warships belonging to the Ecclesiarchy circled the Throne World, all shaped like cathedrals.
Outside the warships stood magnificent sculptures of the Emperor and saints.
Candlelight, burning day and night, illuminated the dim and cold interiors of the cathedrals.
The flickering light of the grand halls was filled with devout believers and flagellants prostrating themselves on the ground.
They wielded whips, vigorously flogging themselves, using their bloody wounds to display the Emperor's supreme majesty and authority.
Massive numbers of surveillance ships patrolled ceaselessly among orbital space stations, weapon platforms, void ports, and other constructs, maintaining a high level of vigilance without rest, like diligent swarms of bees guarding their hive.
Yuji exclaimed, "Terra is Terra! What an exaggerated defense system! Look at the size of those cannons, they're bigger than houses!"
Darren: "Why don't they build a shield that can cover the entire planet?"
Caesar: "Maybe the energy supply isn't enough, and the cost-effectiveness is too low."
Warmaster: "Such a great empire, yet it only has one megastructure like the Phalanx. This is truly a disgrace to civilization."
"One day, we will fill Terra's void orbit with colossal warships."
Yuji: "The last guy who filled Terra's near-Earth orbit with warships was named Horus."
"What's the deal? He's the Warmaster, and you're the Warmaster. Horus was the Emperor's most trusted son, and you're the Guide's most trusted Player. He wanted a grand birthday celebration, and you want a grand birthday celebration too?"
SeriousSam: "Guide: 'I woke up and I'm sitting on the Golden Toilet!!'"
Warmaster: "You guys stop slandering people."
"..."
Cawl, Celestine, and others paid no attention to the Saints' absurd behavior, as if they weren't even there.
The Saints' sacrifices and struggles during their pilgrimage had already earned their sincere recognition.
Therefore, as long as it didn't involve fundamental principles, they let these Saints do as they pleased.
Captain-General Valdor, the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes, frowned slightly.
He couldn't feel any reverence or respect for the Throne World from these so-called 'Saints'.
Their eyes looked more like they were observing novelties rather than on a pilgrimage.
A few of them even kept reaching out to knock on his wargear, wanting to see if the legendary Custodian wargear would resonate.
They showed no reverence for him, the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes, whatsoever.
Some of the Saints even held Custodian relics that had long been confirmed lost.
Captain-General Valdor really wanted to reclaim those relics from them.
He subtly inquired about them from Sicarius and the other Ultramarines.
Hard work paid off, and he soon learned that the relics in the Saints' hands were all found in the horrific piles of corpses when they passed through Miracle City.
The Saints had a special ability to always identify whose Custodian bodies they were.
Sicarius and the other Ultramarines were confused just by listening, unable to distinguish whose bodies were in Miracle City.
It was as if the Emperor's will was attached to the Saints, speaking through them the names and deeds of the warriors who had fought for him in the past.
"If you want those relics, you'll have to give more."
Sicarius warned the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes.
"Otherwise, they won't give them to you, and don't even think about using the Emperor's authority to pressure them; that will only backfire."
"Believe me, the Emperor's favor they have received surpasses every one of us."
"Even if one day the Emperor himself speaks and tells them to replace you in guarding the palace, I wouldn't be surprised."
Only after repeated warnings from the Ultramarines did Captain-General Valdor abandon his resolve to use authority to force the Saints to hand over the relics.
However, Captain-General Valdor didn't believe the last sentence at all.
They had diligently guarded the Imperial Palace for ten thousand years; what could that bunch of Saints do?
Could it be that those Saints could even fight their way through the collapsing Webway and fix Magnus's Folly?
...
The landing craft slowly entered the final landing orbit, and Terra's topography magnified before the Players' eyes.
Humanity's home planet had already become a bloated giant.
Its natural resources had been depleted many years ago.
The oceans had dried up long ago.
As far as the eye could see, to the ends of the earth, there were only dense urban structures.
At the same time, it was also a planet of light.
Brilliant and vast waterfalls of light radiated outwards from Terra's surface.
Unparalleled colossal buildings and statues pierced through the heavily polluted atmosphere.
The spires of the spaceport thrust into the dark void, guiding countless artificial satellites, Ecclesiarchy broadcast stations, and millions of transport ships in their comings and goings.
The pilgrimage party received the highest level of clearance.
Their vessel passed through the atmosphere, composed of dazzling light pollution and chemical haze, slowly descending along the golden, lead-grey, and brass-colored architectural complexes.
"The Eternal Wall spaceport feels so oppressive."
"No wonder the Guide didn't want Gothic architecture when rebuilding the city; maybe there was just too much of it, and they were aesthetically fatigued."
"Gothic architecture suits religion; it's heavy and oppressive, and being in it instills a natural sense of solemnity."
"The thickness and solidity of these buildings are so exaggerated; I estimate that even throwing a Fat Man and Little Boy down wouldn't blow up a single block.
"Speaking of which, Terra is really big."
"How fierce must The The Battle of Terra have been to turn such a world into ruins?"
"......"
The Players commented on Terra's magnificent architectural complexes.
The grandeur of Terra's Hive City inevitably reminded them of the ferocity of the Siege of Terra.
The landing craft slowly descended until it reached the landing pad of the Eternal Wall.
The spaceport was already under martial law, with an area specially cleared for the Primarch.
Before the landing craft had even come to a complete stop, Daniel had Arale assign a task.
The Players who received the task were stunned.
No one expected there to be a task even upon arriving on Terra.
And it was a plot-advancing task.
"A simple analysis and summary is that it requires Players to at least dress like humans when going through the plot."
"You've done too many inhuman things in other games; the official team is panicking."
"It seems the official team is scared."
"After all, the plot is enacted in real-time, unlike other games."
"This Terra Grand Ceremony will definitely be excellent promotional material, so for the sake of the effect, they had no choice but to issue such a task. Otherwise, if you guys just wore underwear and let loose, wouldn't that be terrible!!"
The Players discussed as they accepted the task.
Then, the hatch slowly opened, and Guilliman stepped out.
A colossal horn blast sounded simultaneously, like the roar of an ancient beast, deafening and echoing throughout Terra.
There was also a band playing, each musician a master of their art, urgently summoned to perform for the Primarch's arrival.
The air was filled with hymns dedicated to the Emperor, sung in unison by carefully selected members of the Ecclesiarchy.
Dignitaries from the Administratum and Terra's elites vied to step forward, bowing in salute.
Countless people who had come specifically to see the spectacle had already filled every open space in the airport.
They performed the aquila salute over their chests, roaring oaths of loyalty.
The scribes, bound in iron coffins, ceaselessly recorded the magnificent scene before them.
Guilliman suppressed the complex emotions in his heart.
It had been ten thousand years since he last arrived on Terra.
At that time, Terra radiated the glory of striving and progress.
Now, however, it had become a rotting corpse.
The strangely shaped, oppressive Gothic architecture,
the monstrously expanding industrial facilities, and the terrifyingly eerie religion.
All of this ran contrary to his father's ideals.
The cheers were deafening.
Several days of fermentation had made everyone on Terra aware that the Emperor's son had returned, and a new era was about to begin.
Under the gaze of the cheering crowd, Guilliman and his retinue boarded the viewing transport shuttle.
There was still a considerable distance from the Eternal Wall to the Throne Room.
Luxurious, super-heavy vehicles carried them through endless street networks and traffic lines, advancing along the Grand Avenue.
On both sides of the road stood sculptures of many Imperial heroes, as well as countless viewing civilians.
"Look, that's Sanguinius."
"Leman Russ."
"Is that Lord Solar Macarius?"
"Is that Miracle City?"
"That must be Fort Bab?"
"..."
The transport shuttle continued its journey, passing many famous Terra buildings.
The Players excitedly discussed everything they saw along the way.
Soon, the outline of the Imperial Palace appeared at the end of the horizon.
The magnificent palace, nestled among the mountains, slowly grew from a black dot, with the most striking feature being the Astronomican, which emitted light that pierced clouds and sun.
"The Astronomican, that's the Astronomican."
A Player excitedly shouted, pointing to the beam of light at the end of the horizon.
It shot into the sky, eventually disappearing into the depths of the Warp.
All the Players rushed over, leaning on that side to look at the Astronomican.
"Is this the Astronomican that allows ships to travel in the Warp?"
"It gives a very reassuring feeling."
"It is already a part of humanity."
"..."
"Holy crap, is this the Imperial Palace?"
"So big, so magnificent."
"Terra, Terra, here we come."
"Emperor, we're here, let us properly oil your bones."
"Do you guys think there are Custodes kittens or the Three Brothers Under the Moon in the Imperial Palace?!"
"Probably not, the official stance is 100% realistic, the selling point is Players changing the metaverse, they probably won't play those memes."
"Once Players unlock the Custodes, maybe there will be."
"..."
Valdor's mouth curved upwards.
These Saints, who claimed to have received the most favor from the Emperor, didn't seem to have seen much of the world.
They were shouting loudly just seeing the Imperial Palace and the Astronomican.
The transport shuttle sped through the skies of Terra, successfully arriving before the towering Imperial Palace gates.
Carved upon them was the scene of Sanguinius battling a daemon.
It was here that Sanguinius once again repelled the Khorne Greater Daemon, Kha'banda.
Those who survived preserved this scene and carved it onto the gates during reconstruction to commemorate the sacrifice of that noble Primarch.
The transport shuttle landed.
From here, they would have to walk to the Throne Room.
"The final battle of the Siege of Terra, should have been here, right? After this, it was the duel between the Emperor and Horus."
The Warmaster looked up at the towering stairs, recalling the contents described in books.
Horus's army broke through the final walls, swarming in.
All concepts of a front line became illusory.
Only squads of warriors remained, engaging in duels surrounded by enemies.
The battle lines were fragmented into millions of segments, with two warriors standing opposite each other, blades locked, refusing to let the traitors pass, visible everywhere.
This was a helpless order.
The daemons invaded the Sanctum, and the defenders could only hold one place.
Either choose the walls or choose the Sanctum.
To protect the Emperor, Sanguinius could only issue the order to retreat.
The Great Angel stood at the entrance of the Sanctum with his spear, as fleeing civilians and soldiers streamed into the Sanctum from his sides.
Before the gates of the Sanctum, the Great Angel defeated the Khorne Greater Daemon—Kharbanda, and then defeated his traitorous brother—Angron.
He was covered in wounds, his wings stained with blood, some parts scorched.
Some of his sons surrounding him entered the Sanctum,
while others charged into the battlefield, buying the living a few last seconds.
After hesitating, Sanguinius chose to retreat into the Sanctum.
Only because he knew clearly that he should not die here, and there was a more important mission awaiting him.
Finally, the heavy gates slammed shut.
The warriors and refugees outside were all abandoned, becoming targets for daemons and traitors.
Guilliman led the Players up the magnificent sky ladder, arriving at the gates of the Sanctum.
This was the last obstacle for the traitors during the Horus Heresy.
As long as the Sanctum was destroyed, the Imperial Palace would be declared completely fallen.
However, Horus did not do that, or rather, the Chaos Gods merged the Avenging Spirit with the Sanctum for the final battle.
When the defenders retreated into the Sanctum, the Emperor entrusted the Golden Throne to Malcador,
and he himself, along with Dorn, Sanguinius, Valdor, and the Custodes, boarded the Avenging Spirit.
In that final great battle, the Emperor was only one step away from becoming a god.
The radiance he emitted filled all the daemons and traitors on the Terra battlefield with fear.
If the Emperor willed it, he could, by himself, slaughter all the daemons and traitors.
Ultimately, he gave it up for humanity, choosing to defeat the Chaos Gods as a man.
The outcome was Horus's defeat, the Chaos Gods' expulsion, and the Emperor's severe injury, leading him to sit upon the Golden Throne.
"The story of the siege ends here, with countless heroes falling." Yuji said with a sigh.
Being present in this place made him feel the weight contained within the words.
The Imperial Palace had fallen, and as far as the eye could see, it was all daemons and traitors.
In this battle, the Imperial loyalists had no chance of winning at all.
Continuing to fight would only prolong death,
but they still chose to fight until the last moment, standing proudly as humans.
This was a terrible universe,
but humanity never gave up, and never compromised.
Even though every day of this race's existence was exchanged for blood and sacrifice,
they were fearless and resolutely fought their enemies until the very last moment.
"Resistance in despair is the greatest charm." Caesar deeply agreed.
Guilliman stepped up the sky ladder and entered the gates of the Sanctum.
Sicarius, Voldus, Greyfax, and Celestine finally arrived in front of the Throne Room.
Twenty Custodes guarded the area.
After a ceremonial exchange of names, the leading Custodian announced that the Primarch could enter the Throne Room, but only the Primarch alone.
"No!"
Guilliman objected, causing everyone present to show looks of shock.
"The Saint should accompany me inside."
The leading Custodian shook his head, "Apologies, we are responsible for the safety of the Throne Room, and only you may enter. This is the regulation."
"If not, then go in alone." Daniel said.
Guilliman shook his head, "You are the Emperor's messenger, able to interpret more information for me."
After the last time, when he briefly conversed with the Emperor through Daniel's ability, Guilliman had truly felt the Emperor's power.
If he were alone, he would certainly not be able to bear the cost of directly facing the Emperor and communicating with him.
He needed Daniel to share the burden for him.
"As the Regent of the Imperium, and the Emperor's son, I demand you step aside." Guilliman's tone was very firm.
"Apologies." The leading Custodian shook his head, and although he was apologizing, he gripped the war axe in his hand tightly, his muscles tensed, clearly ready to strike.
"Are you going to betray the Emperor?" Guilliman repeated, word by word, making the Custodian's face instantly turn grim.
Just as the situation was about to fall into a stalemate and opposition,
Voldus and Captain-General Valdor established a secret communication, revealing a part of the Saints secret.
Captain-General Valdor's expression was solemn, and finally he stepped forward, "Comply with the Primarch's wish, let this Saint enter together."
With the commander's word, the Custodian bowed and slowly retreated, clearing a path.
A distant bell rang.
Under the gaze of everyone, the doors of the Throne Room silently opened.
A misty fog billowed out like a waterfall, flowing down the steps.
Golden light emanated from within, incredibly sacred.
Guilliman and Daniel stepped inside and saw the Emperor seated on the Golden Throne.