337.M36
W-4 System
The W-4 System, situated in the eastern region, consists of four worlds—though only one is truly habitable. W-4-Beta is a temperate world with a stable climate and a thriving biosphere, making it an ideal candidate for colonization. Vast plains stretch between scattered mountain ranges, while dense forests blanket its equatorial regions. Early Imperial surveys reported rich mineral veins beneath its surface and fertile soil capable of supporting massive population centers.
It would have been a perfect world—had Atharion not decided to leave the Orks upon it.
Deep within the forests of W-4-Beta, the sharp crack of bolter fire echoed through the trees. Intermixed with it were the guttural roars and frenzied bellows of Orks, their savage cries rising like a storm through the canopy.
"Looks like they've engaged the Orks," a Sergeant in silver power armor remarked, his voice calm but watchful.
"Yes," another Sergeant replied. "If they survive this, they'll have passed the final test. Then, at last, we'll have the numbers we need for the Supreme Grand Master's mission."
"At the very least," a third Sergeant added with a hint of pride, "we haven't fallen behind the others."
"Of course," the first Sergeant said. "How could our progress lag when we were given the same resources and the same recruiting worlds?"
The others nodded in agreement. Indeed—both Chapters had been afforded identical support.
The Castellan of Christophsis and the Castellan of Varran were the two Chapters founded after the Iron Seraphs and Steel Wardens. While the latter two would soon be dispatched to their assigned duties in Segmentum Obscurus, the Castellans were to remain within the Camelarion, bolstering the Dark Knights in defending the region.
The Castellan of Christophsis would be stationed in the eastern reaches, operating from Christophsis, a bustling Hive World. Meanwhile, the Castellan of Varran would take up position in the western region, headquartered on Varran, another Hive World.
Even though neither world served as their official homeworld, both Chapters were granted the authority to recruit from their respective Hive Worlds and draw upon their industrial output for supplies. Christophsis and Varran would sustain the Castellans with a steady stream of manpower and material, ensuring their forces could grow swiftly and maintain a permanent presence within the Camelarion.
Both Chapters are designed by Atharion to serve as garrison force, with majority of the squads will be tactical squads and destroyer squads. This resulting them not being assigned with a large fleet. Both Chapters only have six Strike Cruisers and five squadrons of Gladius to patrol their assign region and for transportation.
To offset their limited naval capacity, both Chapters were granted a significantly larger allotment of heavy and special weapons, as well as armored vehicles. Plasma and melta weaponry—both standard and heavy variants—were supplied in abundance. Land Raiders were also issued in greater numbers than usual, with a focus on the Land Raider Achilles and the newly developed Land Raider Destroyer.
The Land Raider Destroyer is a modified variant of the Terminus Ultra, equipped with two twin-linked lascannons, two Hurricane bolter, and a twin plasma cannon mounted in the hull—though this can be swapped for a twin assault cannon depending on user. This design allows the Destroyer to effectively engage both armored and infantry targets without the need to deploy separate vehicles for each threat, streamlining maintenance and logistics for garrison forces.
Developed only five years prior by Nine—working from a concept proposed by Atharion—the Land Raider Destroyer has yet to see widespread deployment. However, in the few engagements where it has been fielded, its performance has been highly promising. Nine himself admitted that while the plasma system makes the construction process more laborious, the vehicle has nonetheless proven to be a powerful and versatile addition to the Chapters' arsenals.
"We should inform the Grand Master about our progress." The first Sergeant continue. "So that he can prepare our departure to our assign region."
The others exchanged brief, firm nods of agreement. With their assent, a vox transmission was sent to their Chapter's Strike Cruiser in high orbit, destined for the Chapter Master himself.
===
338.M36
"Prepare to exit the Warp."
From the roiling void, a large fleet tore its way back into realspace, forming into a disciplined formation with the Eternal Vigilance at its center.
"My Lord, we have arrived at Sigma-Ulstari." the shipmaster reported. "According to the auspex readings, the Ultramarine, Novamarines, Eagle Warriors and Mortifactors have all arrived."
"Understand, inform them of our arrival." Atharion ordered. "Also inform the fleet to take formation and prepare for any sudden incursion, we are close to the Orks after all."
"Yes, my Lord." The shipmaster bowed and turned to relay the orders to the bridge crew.
The Dark Knights fleet begin to slowly move towards them while the fleet begin to form up with Eternal Vigilance on the center.
It was a formidable armada that Atharion have bring with him, one that an Astarte Chapter shouldn't have command over. Three Vanquisher-class battleships, six Victory-class battleships, four Emperor-class battleships, and three Oberon-class battleships formed the fleet's core, their massive hulls bristling with macro-cannons and lance batteries. Supporting them were three Mars-class battlecruisers, thirteen Lunar-class cruisers, eleven Strike Cruisers, twenty Dauntless-class light cruisers, twenty-four Gladius-class frigates, and sixteen Nova-class frigates.
Each vessel bore the markings of the Dark Knights, their hulls dark as midnight, adorned with crimson and silver heraldry.
As the fleet closed in on Sigma-Ulstari, the void crackled with the hum of active comms and encrypted vox-chatter. Dozens of hololithic sigils flared to life across the command dais, marking the positions of allied fleets.
"My Lord," the vox officer spoke, "we are receiving a transmission from the Ultramarines flagship, Octavius. They request direct communication."
Atharion nodded slightly. "Open the channel."
The hololith before the throne shimmered to life, resolving into the image of a stern-faced Ultramarine Chapter Master, Agrippan clad in his Artificer MK IV Power Armour.
"Brother Atharion." Agrippan greeted with a calm and friendly tone. "It is good to see you have come. The situation have deteriorated since the last message I send to you." His tone then hardened. "The Orks have begin to launch a major attack towards west and currently they have successfully overrun three system. Only with the intervention of White Scars and Mantis Warriors does the Orks attack slow down. But they will not hold for long as both Chapters only send one company each as they still preoccupied with their own duties."
"If you're information correct, there is high possiblity that the Overfiend will send more of his Orks towards us." Atharion said as he study the battle and scout reports that Agrippan provided to him. It's show that the activity of the Orks of Octarius have increased significantly and an increase numbers of Ork raids have been recorded, even Ryza have reported similar situation.
In addition, both the White Scars and Mantis Warriors had confirmed that while they managed to halt several Ork offensives, their scouts continued to detect fresh mobs gathering for renewed attacks.
"We will need the support of the Astra Militarum and the Navis Imperialis if we are to contain this," Atharion continued, looking up from the datafeeds. "And if the Overfiend himself decides to send one of his Warbosses — or even take the field personally — we may need far more than that."
Agrippan nodded gravely. "Indeed. That is why I have brought the Ultramar Auxilia with me. Though only thirty-seven regiments are available…"
He paused briefly, his tone lightening somewhat. "But fortunately, I have secured the support of Konor and Gantz. They have dispatched four Macroclades to reinforce our efforts. Furthermore, Legio Praesagius has pledged three maniples — consisting of five Reaver Titans and eight Warhounds — to stand with us in this campaign."
"Does the Kar Duniash unable to provide us with any help?" Atharion ask, curious of what excuse they give to Ultramarine.
Agrippan sighed. "None. Their excuse is that the latest Tithe shipment has yet to arrive. While they claim to have regiments and battlegroups on standby, they insist they lack the necessary supplies to sustain a prolonged deployment."
Atharion nodded slowly. He already knew the truth — Kar Duniash had diverted much of its strength to suppress traitor warbands and cult uprisings across the Ghoul Stars. Yet he doubted their claim of scarcity as it's impossible that they lack resources to even assign a small numbers of regiments and warships to aid them.
"Then it is fortunate," Atharion said at last, his tone measured but firm, "that I have brought my own forces — the Camelarion Auxilia — to join this campaign. A total of one hundred and twenty-five regiments stand ready."
A hololithic display flared to life beside him, its shifting projections outlining the vast scale of the force: infantry regiments, armored regiments, and artillery regiments arrayed in perfect Imperial order. "Thoros has pledged three Macroclades to our cause," he continued, "and Legio Argentum Fulgur has also committed its strength — seven Warlord Titans, two Warbringer Nemesis, ten Reavers, and eighteen Warhounds will stand with us."
Atharion can see that Agrippan is stunned with how much Atharion have brought with him. After all, he only requested Dark Knights help in stopping the Orks attack that seemingly keep going east, towards Ultramar.
But, in truth, Atharion actually already begin to amassing this war host three years ago for his own campaign, a campaign to destroy the Ork Empire of Octarius, or at the very least, reducing it to an empire that only still hold a single digit system.
The only reason he had not yet launched the campaign was simple, he was waiting — waiting for the other Chapters he had summoned to arrive.
The Lamenters, though never granted a homeworld, had been given three recruiting worlds by Atharion, along with a fortified resupply bastion within the Camelarion — a sanctuary where they could rebuild and refit without the delays and obstacles of Imperial bureaucracy. Yet as a fleet-based Chapter, they had ranged far across the stars on their own crusades, and thus Atharion rarely received updates on their status or movements.
The Angels of Wrath, a successor of the Dark Angels, were even more elusive. Constantly vanishing on their mysterious "special missions," they maintained little contact with Dark Knights. Atharion had been unable to reach their Grand Master directly and instead dealt almost exclusively with their Master of the 10th Company, who acted as the intermediary between them.
The Fire Hawks, by contrast, were not lost — merely relentless. Their penchant for charging headlong into battle meant that Atharion often had to wait until they concluded their current campaigns before they could commit to another.
For the coming war against the Octarian Orks, Atharion had already informed all three Chapters of his intentions. Each had pledged to join his crusade, yet all required time to regroup, resupply, and assemble their strength.
In the end, however, a message from Ultramar changed everything. The Ultramarines had sent word to all Chapters descended from Guilliman's gene-line, warning of a potential Ork invasion pressing eastward toward the Five Hundred Worlds. As scions of Guilliman themselves, the Dark Knights received the summons.
After deliberation within the Round Table, the Dark Knights resolved to answer Ultramar's call — their campaign would march alongside the Ultramarines and their assembled allies. Yet the Table also decreed that if the Ultramarines halted their advance after repelling the Orks, the Dark Knights' crusade would continue regardless. To assemble such a vast war host and leave the Octarian Empire unbroken would be an unforgivable waste of time, effort, and blood.
And so, Atharion came to Sigma-Ulstari, the designated rally point chosen by Agrippan — the place where his long-awaited crusade would finally begin.
Sigma-Ulstari is a Forge World located within the Octarius Sector, lying on the border of the Ork Empire of Octarius. Its position has condemned it to an unending struggle for survival, constantly supplying war materiel to the Imperial systems that lie between it and the Ork hordes. During the late M41, it also served as a Warden World within the Cordon Impenetra, standing as one of the Imperium's fortress within the Sector.