The planet burned.
A world of steel and stone, now reduced to a corpse of smoke and ash. The skies were torn apart by a crimson tempest, a Warpstorm that stretched across the heavens, sealing the planet's fate. There would be no reinforcements. No salvation. Only war.
Across the hive cities, billions clashed.
The Imperium fought with desperate fury — hundreds of millions of men and women, pressed into battle lines, each life spent to hold another inch of ground. The Astra Militarum poured into the streets, lasguns chattering in endless volleys. Their tanks rumbled through the rubble, cannons thundering, blasting apart the daemonic tide. The Sisters of Battle stood as burning pillars of faith, their bolters and flamers cutting swathes through the heretics. Tech-Priests and Skitarii of the Adeptus Mechanicus deployed sacred war machines, engines of death that ground the enemies of the Omnissiah beneath treads of steel. Arbites fought with grim resolve, holding their lines with shield and maul, every block a fortress, every corridor a kill zone. Even hive gangers and conscripts, barely trained, held the line where they could, knowing there was nowhere left to run.
Yet, for every Imperial soldier that stood, a hundred horrors met them in battle.
Chaos poured from the warp-rent sky, an ocean of blood and madness. The streets churned under the weight of billions of frenzied cultists, their ragged voices screaming praise to the Blood God. Bloodletters marched in disciplined ranks, their hellblades drinking deep. Flesh Hounds prowled ahead, tearing through defenders in a blur of fangs and claws. Juggernauts crashed through barricades, brass hooves cracking the streets, their riders laughing as they painted the hive red.
Greater horrors loomed above the fray.
A Bloodthirster soared on leathery wings, its massive frame blotting out the light as it crashed into the heart of the Imperium's ranks. Each swing of its axe claimed dozens of lives. Heralds of the Blood God led their legions, howling war cries that shook the very foundations of the hive.
There was no front line. No order. The war had spilled across the planet, seeping into every corner of the hive. It was slaughter, plain and simple.
And amidst the chaos, Arbitrator Gideon Roth fought.
---
His breath rasped in his helmet, each inhale dragging against his throat. The world was fire and death, but Gideon pushed forward, shock maul gripped tight in his hand.
His armor was heavier than most, custom-forged by the Adeptus Mechanicus after years of service. Each plate was reinforced with ceramite, the carapace designed to shrug off lasfire and shrapnel. His visor painted the battlefield in flickering readouts, target markers sweeping across the hordes. His weapons were no less impressive — a combat shotgun, custom-loaded with inferno shells, and the maul at his side crackled with power, ready to break bone and armor alike.
But none of it mattered.
They were losing.
"Arbitrator Roth, vox channels are down! No contact with central command!" The voice crackled through his comm bead — one of the few Arbites still standing in his squad.
"Doesn't matter," Gideon growled, pumping his shotgun. "Form up! We make our stand here!"
The street was barely recognizable beneath the bodies. Imperial Guardsmen lay scattered, their lasguns silent. Civilians were strewn across the rubble, butchered where they stood. The walls were slick with blood, the sigils of Chaos scrawled in crimson.
Gideon took aim.
A Bloodletter charged from the smoke, its hellblade raised high, eyes burning with unholy rage. Gideon squeezed the trigger, his shotgun roaring. The inferno shell blasted the daemon apart, flames consuming its flesh as it howled into the void.
But there were always more.
A Juggernaut barreled down the street, brass hooves shattering the ground beneath it. Gideon dove aside, feeling the rush of air as the beast thundered past, crushing bodies beneath its bulk. The rider lashed out with a jagged glaive, carving through Arbites shields and armor as if they were paper.
Gideon rolled to his feet, shock maul humming in his hands. He charged, slamming the weapon into the Juggernaut's flank. The crackling energy discharged into the beast, causing it to rear back, roaring in pain. Its rider turned, snarling, but Gideon was already moving. He brought his shotgun up, firing point-blank into the daemon's face. The head exploded in a shower of gore.
The Juggernaut collapsed, twitching. But Gideon had no time to breathe.
Another wave crashed over them. Flesh Hounds bounded through the smoke, their snarls echoing across the ruins. Gideon fired again and again, each shell blasting a hound apart, but they kept coming. An Arbite to his right was dragged down, his screams cut short as fangs closed around his throat.
"Fall back!" Gideon roared, voice hoarse. "Regroup at the barricade!"
They scrambled through the ruins, each step feeling heavier, each breath harder to draw. The smoke burned his lungs, and the sounds of war were deafening — the roar of artillery, the screech of daemons, the dying cries of men and women.
He stumbled into a half-collapsed hab-block, his squad falling in behind him. What was left of them. The others were gone — torn apart, left behind, or simply vanished into the madness.
Gideon leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. The ground beneath him trembled with distant explosions. He could hear the daemons outside, snarling and baying for blood. His fingers tightened around his maul.
There was no way out.
No salvation.
Only war.
He looked up at the blood-red sky, the Warpstorm churning above. The entire system was sealed. Even if reinforcements had existed, they'd never reach them. The hive was already lost. The planet was lost.
Yet still, he fought.
Because that was what it meant to be Imperial. To fight. To endure.
Even in the face of the end.
—-
The governor's palace stood defiant against the crimson sky, a dark silhouette of opulence and power atop the highest spire of the hive. It loomed over the chaos below, untouched by war — yet. But the walls could not keep out the distant echoes of battle. Even here, high above the carnage, Halex Varen could hear the faint, rhythmic pounding of artillery. It was like a heartbeat. Steady. Inescapable.
The man himself stood at the center of a vast chamber, its polished marble floors gleaming beneath chandeliers of crystal and gold. The walls were adorned with tapestries depicting ancient triumphs — victories of his lineage over the centuries. The Varen name had ruled this world for nearly two millennia. He liked to think of himself as a continuation of that legacy. A protector. A savior.
But now, as he gazed out over the burning horizon, the weight of history felt more like a shroud.
The doors to the chamber slid open with a quiet hiss. Footsteps echoed against the marble, measured and precise. Halex didn't turn. He knew the sound. Kastos. His chief aide. The man had served him for over thirty years, and not once had his footsteps faltered. Even now, with the world collapsing around them, Kastos's stride was steady. Dependable.
"Governor," Kastos said, his voice low and deferential. "You requested an update."
Halex closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly. "Tell me."
Kastos hesitated. That alone told Halex everything he needed to know. The governor turned to face him, smoothing the silk of his crimson robe with steady hands. He studied the older man carefully. Kastos's face was drawn, his features pale beneath the warm light. The datapad in his hands trembled ever so slightly.
"Well?" Halex pressed. "Out with it."
Kastos bowed his head. "The outer hives have fallen. Entirely. The Arbites made their last stand at the Tarsis Gate two hours ago. There has been no contact since."
Halex felt his stomach tighten. He moved towards a table of dark mahogany, reaching for the crystal decanter. The wine sloshed slightly as he poured. His hands were shaking. Damn it.
"What else?" he asked, taking a long sip. The burn steadied him.
"The Manufactorum districts are gone. Overrun." Kastos glanced at his datapad, lips tightening. "The Mechanicus deployed their Skitarii legions, but… the enemy's numbers are beyond counting. The red priests fought to the last, but their war engines have fallen silent."
"And the Guard?" Halex asked, gripping the edge of the table.
"Still holding, for now. Scattered regiments are fighting block by block, but they're being pushed back. Entire companies are being wiped out in hours. Reports say the skies are black with gargoyle swarms. Some of the greater daemons are leading the charge now."
Halex's knuckles whitened. "Bloodthirsters?"
Kastos nodded grimly. "Several. The Sisters of Battle managed to slay one in the Shrine District, but…" He trailed off. There was no need to finish.
The governor downed the rest of his glass. The wine barely registered on his tongue. He turned back to the window, looking out over the hive. The fires stretched as far as the eye could see, licking at the horizon. A thousand battlefronts, each one a slaughter.
He inhaled slowly, feeling the weight of his title settle onto his shoulders. Planetary Governor. It had once meant power. Authority. Now it felt like a death sentence.
"Kastos," he said quietly. "Is there a way off this rock?"
There was a long silence.
"Governor…"
"Don't give me that tone." Halex turned, eyes narrowing. "I know what you're thinking. That I should stay. Die with the people. Die with my world." He sneered. "Spare me the martyr's tale. I will not let my bloodline end in some nameless alley, torn apart by daemons."
Kastos hesitated. "There are ships. Not many. Most of the nobles fled days ago. Those that made it past the upper atmosphere, well… their fates are unknown."
"The Warpstorm," Halex muttered, rubbing his temples. "It's sealing the system, isn't it?"
"Yes, Governor." Kastos lowered his voice. "No ship has been able to make a safe jump out of the Gelmiro Cluster. The Warp is… turbulent. Even the Astropaths have fallen silent."
Halex's jaw clenched. "So what you're telling me is that even if we leave, we'll be torn apart in the Immaterium."
Kastos hesitated. "Possibly."
"Possibly." Halex let out a bitter laugh. "Wonderful. Truly inspiring." He poured another glass, swirling the liquid idly. "And the ships still here?"
"Only a handful remain." Kastos shifted uneasily. "The last of the planetary defense ships are preparing for launch. A few personal craft belonging to the remaining noble families are also being prepped. They'll be leaving within the next two days." He hesitated. "If we intend to leave, Governor… it must be soon."
Halex stared into his glass. The flames of the hive flickered in the reflection.
Two days.
Two days, and then the last ships would be gone. After that…
There would be no escape.
Halex set the glass down with deliberate care. He turned to face Kastos, smoothing his robes once more. "Prepare my ship."
Kastos bowed. "Of course, Governor."
"And Kastos?" Halex's voice was soft. "My family. Ensure they are ready."
"Understood."
The aide turned and left the chamber, his footsteps fading into the distance. Halex stood alone, staring out over his burning world. His legacy. His kingdom.
Let it burn.
He would not die here.
----
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