News, even across the vast, warp-haunted distances of the Imperium, traveled with a speed proportional to the severity of the threat. The Priority Alpha distress vox-transmission from the Blade of Macragge, containing the auspex readings and the terrified, data-laden analysis of Tech-Priest Dominus Valerius, ripped through the bureaucratic labyrinth of Segmentum Pacificus like a promethium fire through paper.
Within days—a blink of an eye in galactic terms—the echoes of Valerius's report reached the ears of those who made decisions measured in the lives of billions. In the Segmentum capital of Hydraphur, on the sprawling, cathedral-like bridge of the battleship Imperator Rex, Admiral Jhovin Kaelen stood impassively, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the hololithic projection. The image, now clearer and magnified by the superior augurs of a fleet command vessel, showed the same serene figure atop the black mountain, his shadow army a chilling tide on the plains below.
"A single entity. Exhibiting power over necromantic constructs on a legionary scale," a stern voice echoed from a nearby vox-caster. It was Inquisitor Lyra Valerius of the Ordo Xenos, her face projected as a grim, hawk-like visage. "And it effortlessly eradicated an Ork WAAAGH! A WAAAGH! that, by previous estimates, was rapidly approaching a 'Great WAAAGH!' designation. Unacceptable."
Admiral Kaelen, a man whose career was built on breaking Xenos fleets and purging heresy, felt a prickle of unease. "The sheer number of these 'constructs' defies logistical sense, Inquisitor. And their speed... the Blade of Macragge's tactical readouts indicate a mobility far beyond any known Imperial or Xenos infantry. They appeared from nowhere, and dispersed the Orks within a standard Terran hour."
"Meaning," Inquisitor Lyra cut in, her voice cold, "this entity is a threat of unparalleled magnitude. A new Xenos species, or perhaps a unique manifestation of Warp-spawned abominations. Whatever its nature, it is a cancer that must be excised." She paused, her eyes narrowing on the projection of Jin-Woo. "The reports indicate a lack of psychic signature from the primary entity itself, yet it commands these... 'shadows' with absolute precision. A psychic blank, perhaps? Or a new form of psychic manipulation entirely?"
A third voice joined the conversation, deeper and gravelly, laced with the metallic rasp of a vox-grille. Lord Commander Militant Vorkos, commander of the Segmentum Pacificus Astra Militarum, stood by the hololithic, his own bionics whirring softly. "Regardless of its classification, Inquisitor, the threat demands an immediate and overwhelming response. A full Crusade is warranted."
"Agreed," Lyra stated. "I have already petitioned the High Lords for an Exterminatus sanction. However, the bureaucracy on Terra is... deliberate. We cannot wait for their parchment to authorize a response."
Admiral Kaelen nodded. "The Battle Group Persephone is already en route. Three cruisers, six frigates, and attached support vessels. Estimated arrival in the Golgoth system within seventy-two standard hours. Lord Commander Militant Vorkos, your regiments?"
"Two Cadian Shock Trooper regiments, the 113th and 114th, are being prepared for orbital deployment," Vorkos replied, his voice devoid of emotion. "Along with a company of Krieg Death Korps and attached heavy armor elements. Total ground force of approximately thirty thousand."
"And the Space Marines?" Inquisitor Lyra pressed, her gaze intense.
Kaelen hesitated for a moment. "The Ultramarines of the Second Company, under Captain Sicarius, are currently engaged in a cleansing operation in the Calixis Sector. However, a detachment of the Crimson Fists Chapter is within range. Two companies, fully mobilized, will accompany the ground forces. They are eager to test their mettle against this new threat."
The Crimson Fists. A successor chapter of the Imperial Fists, known for their stoic resilience, mastery of siege warfare, and unyielding devotion to the Emperor. Their heraldry, a clenched fist, often red, was a symbol of unshakeable defiance.
Inquisitor Lyra's grim expression remained. "Good. Let us pray it is enough. An Exterminatus sanction is a certainty if this entity proves truly irredeemable, but first, we must gain intelligence. We must understand what we face, before we burn it from the void."
As the hololithic image of the Shadow Monarch faded, replaced by star charts and projected fleet movements, Admiral Kaelen turned to his bridge crew. "All hands to battle stations. Prepare for warp transit. Set course for the Golgoth system. The Emperor protects."
He knew, however, that the Emperor also expected humanity to fight. And the fight to come felt... different. The sheer, silent efficiency of the shadow army, the way it had devoured the chaotic energy of the Orks, hinted at something far more dangerous than mere Xenos savagery. It hinted at order, absolute and terrifying, beneath a veil of death.