Stellar Devourers (Stellaris/WH40K)

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 1: Awakening Part 1​

Location: Milky Way Galaxy
Date: 899.M49

Segmentum Obscurus, the dark corner of the galaxy, a place of dying suns and unspeakable horrors of the Halo Stars and the Eye of Terror, but it is also a place of immense opportunity, many technological marvels and secrets can be found in Obscurus if the adventurers have the courage or the desperation to enter it. And thanks to the recent events the Imperium of Man had both of them.

The situation was going bad to worse for humanity, Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade had taken Cadia and a large portion of the Segmentum, and now the Warmaster seeks to both create a 'Dark Imperium' and take Terra for himself, but he did not foresee the return of Guilliman, the Primarch had quickly engrossed himself into the new situation of the Imperium.

Even though the Avenging Son was highly displeased by the current situation, he had no choice in keeping many of the institutions that he considered to be redundant and parasitic, such as the Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy, as the Imperium had come to rely on both of them in some twisted sense of symbiosis. But Guilliman had come to distant times, times that brought new enemies, enemies that he never fought before, the ever-hungry Hive Fleets of the Tyranids, the awakening hyper-advanced ancients known as the Necrons, and the optimistic but ultimately foolish Tau. And of course, the enemies that had evolved, the Orks were not pirates or raiders anymore after they had been broken on Ullanor, Ork Empires now once more plagued the galaxy, and the traitors had reorganized in the different warp storms, led by the arch-traitor Horus first captain the so-called Warmaster of Chaos Abaddon.

But the enemies were not simply on the battlefield, but also at home, many of the conservatives of the Imperium disliked his new policies which earned him many enemies on many worlds, even if he eliminated such groups as the Imperium Aeterna which had been founded on Terra. But Guilliman would not back down, he knew that he could not and so seeing the situation he rectified one that he considered to be his greatest mistake, in a move that he sure would have earned Russ laughter he abolished the Codex Astartes, allowing the Legiones Astartes to return, which as he hoped was enough to buy them additional time.

Of course, his decision was met with intense critique but all opposition suffered unfortunate 'accidents' courtesy of the Officio Assassinorum, which he was relying more and more upon to eliminate political enemies, something he never thought he would do. This is why when the Fabricator-General of Mars said that the Mechanicum had decrypted an ancient message of the Dark Age of Technology that revealed a location of an old world located in Obscurus that might hold many different forms of STCs, he allowed them to launch an expedition with some concessions of course. The Mechanicum would go but only with attachments of the Imperial Navy led by one of Lord Admiral Spire's proteges, and a contingent of the Salamanders and Space Wolves.

Location: Indumentum Overlord-class Battlecruiser; Border Space of The Halo Stars
Date: 910.M49

"Exiting Warp space in three... two... one" The immense vessel shuddered as it exited the Immaterium and into reality "Reports: No found chaotic or rebel activity, the fleet has not suffered any warp losses, all vessels report green light,"

Jeramain Sullici, leader of the imperial expedition and one of the protégé of Lord Admiral Spire, hummed this was too good, and in this galaxy, the good was always followed by the bad, something that his mentor had taught him. "Magos, what are the Auspex readings of the System?"

"The system orbits around a yellow star and there is only one planet" The Magos explained "An Artic world, it must be the one we are looking for, but..."

"But what?"

"The planet my lord, it seems to be... locked in some kind of planetary shield"

"What?" Now that was unexpected, but still, they couldn't return to the Imperium when their goal was right at hand "Can the shield be broken?"

"It can, my lord, but if the ancients locked the planet, wouldn't be good for us to leave it as it is?"

"Magos, I thought that you, of all others, would understand the quest for knowledge, especially one that can turn the tide in the Imperium's favor," Jeramain said "Begin the process to break the shield and contact the other parts of the fleet I am calling a meeting"

Location: The Shield World
Date: 910.M49

Beneath the advanced energy shield that covered the arctic planet, an ancient machine awoke. It was old, older than even humanity and it had seen the heights and lows of galactic civilization, its creators were even respected by the Aeldari Empire being seen as above the 'lesser species' that had dotted the galaxy, even though the Aeldari had become isolationist and didn't affect the wider galaxy preferring to observe from a higher position.

The intelligence sensors had detected the new arrivals in the forbidden system, but they were unknown to the intelligence, so they searched for information. It hacked their systems and learned everything about them.

[Intruders known as the Imperium of Man, the galaxy's current sovereign power]​

The intelligence began to awaken its defensive systems, from the cloaked ships that sleep in the system boundaries to the killer-hunter armies stationed in the world.

[Sub-groups: Imperial Navy, Adeptus Mechanicum, Legiones Astartes XVIII and VI; Number of Vessels: 80; Number of Ground Armies: 450,000]​

It began to move its defenders, cloaked cruisers moving towards the unsuspecting imperials, and killer-hunter drones began moving towards defensive positions armed with advanced weaponry that could change tides of entire conflicts.

[Prime Directive: Contain the Swarm unless the high command has directed Prime Order. Hail The Unity of Suns]​

 

[coolblooded]

Watched. Is it biological, mechanical, or mixed of the 2? Wait didn't you post something similar on sb?

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 2: Awakening Part 2​

Location: First of Russ Battlebarge of The Wolves of Fenris
Date: 910.M49

"I can see that you are troubled brother" Hod, commander of the Space Wolves in the expedition said.

Heimdall, chief Rune Priest of the Wolves of Fenris contingent sighed "Am I that transparent?"

"Only when you are worried about something," He said with some mirth in his voice before he looked him straight in the eyes "Have you had a vision?"

Heimdall was amongst the best Diviners of the Imperium, his visions had helped both the Space Wolves and the wider Imperium many times, his warnings had helped prevent a daemonic incursion on Medrros V, helped defeat a Tyranid Hive Fleet Hubric X, and prevented a Dark Eldar Kabal from plundering Sopra XI and dragging its entire population to their realm on the webway.

"No, I didn't but…" Heimdall stopped to think "Call it more of a… premonition, about the world in this system"

Hod frowned at his words "What sort of premonition?"

"There is something on this world Hod" If Hod didn't believe in his brother, he would have said that Heimdall looked afraid "I felt it since we entered this cursed system, and when I learned about how the single world in the entire system was locked in some kind of planetary shield, that was when the puzzle inside my mind was finally completed. The ancients, brothers, didn't lock the planet because it was some vault, no, they locked it because they wanted something to be forgotten. What Mechanicum deciphered wasn't some kind of salvation towards humanity, but a warning for all to stay away"

Before Hod could answer the revelation parted him both he and Heimdall felt the entire ship quake under their feet, alarms were immediately heard across the entire vessel, and it was clear that they were being attacked.

"Go to your chambers we will need every scrap of information you and the others can give us" Hod ordered before sprinting towards the bridge and grabbing his weapons on the way.

"It seems that the enemy has shown their hand, or are they the enemy?" Heimdall shook his head. "It doesn't matter I have to help them win this battle" Heimdall quickly sprinted towards the Runic Chambers preparing to sacrifice in whatever way it needed to be for the forces of humanity to win.


Location: The Cold Void of Space
Date: 910.M49

The enemy had come from nowhere, their ships simply appearing in the Imperial scans like they simply appeared from thin air, their ships were sleek and metallic, moving at speeds vessels their size shouldn't be able to move, and firing weapons that were cutting through many of the imperial ships. Tachyon lances, gamma lasers, proton and neutron launchers, and many others.

But the imperials quickly responded to this new threat and reacted accordingly. Macro plasma and kinetic shells, lances of pure energy, missiles, and torpedoes flew and hit the unknown enemy, who seemingly did not care for any losses suffered on its part. For the Intelligence could always repair them later.

From the hangars of both vessels flew thousands of strike craft and bombers, and a furious dogfight occurred between the two, with each mistake of the imperial craft costing their lives as they either exploded or were erased from existence with only a few scraps of metal remaining of the once-proud gunships.

The situation was not the best they were outnumbered three to one and that was only in terms of numbers and not on the technological level, which they were severely behind, but the greatest revelation was when a boarding attempt had been made by the Salamanders. The enemy seemed to have been more alien than they thought.

They were seven-foot-tall machines with two arms and legs, a hammerhead, and two pairs of mechanical wings extending in their back. When that particular information made its way to the Mechanicum they were all outraged and attacked with renewed fervor, to the point of recklessness.

Location: Indumentum Overlord-class Battlecruiser
Date: 910.M49

"Alert: Void shields are dropping in potency, Weapons deck C and D have been rendered inoperational, Engines have sustained damage dropping combat speed by 20%,"

Jeramain rubbed his hands on his forehead, the situation was getting worse and worse, just after the meeting the unknown machine, which was revealed to be an Abominable Intelligence much to his horror, had attacked appearing from the darkness to strike at them. Jeramain suspected that they had been cloaked using their Heretek technology.

But Jeramain wouldn't go out like this, if the soulless machines thought that he and his fleet would fall easily they were dead wrong "Reduce engine power and redirect it towards the void shields, alert all of the Space Marines to prepare boarding operations, and someone give me a channel to the Mechanicum. Now!!!"

His orders were given, and his crew followed them to the letter, even with all the good it did to them. The mighty Overlord continued to shake and groan, it was as if the ship itself was fighting for its survival. But if something did not happen soon not only it but the entire fleet would be lost.

"My lord, the channel with the Mechanicum has been opened!"

"Patch them through"

The mechanical voice of the Arch Magos was heard on the bridge "Admiral Jeramain, my Magos have discovered something interesting about the Silica Animus that can turn the tide in our favor"

"I am listening…"

Location: Shield World
Date: 910.M49

Everything was going as it was predicted by the Intelligence, the Imperial fleet was heading towards its destruction by its forces little by little, its losses were still on acceptable levels, and was nothing it couldn't replace or rebuild using its technology. Yes, it was all going according to the plan.

This is exactly why it was the moment that things did not go according to plan.

[Warning: High amounts of Aetheric Energies Detected]​

The intelligence was confused, the imperial fleet did not have any Aether weapons on board any of their ships, it knew that the Imperium knew how to construct Aether weapons even if they were highly primitive by its stands. Its external sensors immediately located the source of the Aetheric energy, a Mechanicum ship that had somehow managed to evade its fleet approaching the world it was located.

The intelligence knew what they were going to do, it had detected the Aetheric energy being their Aether core, they were going to do a move that was only the most fanatical of the Spiruatilist empires or purifiers encountered by the Union of The Suns, which considering the Imperium's ideology was fitting enough for a valid tactic.

Not that it would reach the shield world.

Several of the intelligence ships began to move their weapons toward the Mechanicum vessel, but they never fired, or rather they did but time was slowed down so that each shot was at the speed of a snail. The Intelligence did not know of the stasis bomb, it seemed that the primitive way of storing information of the Imperium had managed to blindside it.

{I do not know if you can hear me Silica Abomination, and frankly, I do not care}​

The intelligence paid little attention to the chatter of the Magos who had willingly damned both himself and his entire crew into an eternity of suffering, focusing more on preparing its troops for a potential aether invasion.

{I cleanse your abominable technology; I sacrifice myself knowing that the servants of the Omnissiah will destroy you. For The Omnissiah. For The Imperium of Man. FOR MANKIND!!!}​

The ship approached the continental energy shields that locked the world in a near-indestructible barrier. And just as it hit it, it detonated its Aether Core. And reality broke as a maelstrom of ever-changing colors appeared, the shield broke, the physics laws that held it together became impossible to work, and the world was now fully visible to the galaxy once more.

But after the initial Aether shock shapes started appearing from the Aether Storm that had expanded to cover an entire continent of the frozen world.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Watched. Is it biological, mechanical, or mixed of the 2? Wait didn't you post something similar on sb?

Click to shrink...

1. Mixed.
2. Yes, and I am crossposting it here.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 3: Awakening Part 3​

Location: The Unshielded World
Date: 910.M49

From the gaping wound, in reality, poured hordes of Daemons of the Great Changer, from the simple-minded burners, horrors, and Screamers, to the goal-aligned Lord of Change that had come to this forgotten world. It sensed a great power slumbering in its depths just waiting to be released, its goal was to harness it to power itself and gain a more stable foothold in the Great Game.

Not that it would prove easy, as the robotic defenders have proven completely resistant to the Scrapcode it had released into their data sphere, their digital wards had been created to resist beings far worse than them, Daemon Kings that were on the cusp of becoming gods of the aether, or the spawn of the great abomination.

Seeing that robotic defenders had not fallen, the hordes of Tzeentch simply decided to attack them at full force. Eldritch spells were met by cold calculating logic wilding the might of an ancient bygone empire that withstood shoulder with living gods, and who had faced an invasion much worse than this.

Aetheric Null Engines were activated for the first time in centuries banishing many of the hordes to the Aether once more or at least severely weakening them. The horde answered by unleashing spells that warped metal into flesh, transmuted logic into pure emotion, and warped reality so that the laws of the physical universe were no longer possible. Psychic Null Lances wielded by the most advanced of the hunter-killer drones wounded the very essence of the Emperyeal beings, making it so that would take centuries before they coalesced once more.

Both sides had seemingly endless numbers, the daemons from the Aether Storm which had yet to dissipate itself proving enough energy for them to remain in the materium, and the machines from nano-replicators constantly making new drones every time one fell using the material left in many different Chrono dimensions it had access to.

As the two fought, one to release something that could very well destroy the galaxy - if not the universe - and one to contain it unless its Prime Order had been enacted. Not knowing that another one would soon join the conflict.


Location: Indumentum Overlord-class Battlecruiser
Date: 910.M49

"It worked" Jeramain whispered as the data was fed to his implants. Indeed, the crazy, suicidal, plan of the Mechanicum had worked spectacularly, not only had the Warp Core detonation shattered the shield that wrapped the world, but it had temporally disabled data transference between the Abominable Intelligence that he was sure was present in the world and its vessels, allowing many of them to be destroyed by either boarding or destroying them with the fleet's arsenal.

Even if the cost had been the use of the precious Stasis Bomb that he had in his possession, which had become even rarer in these times, of course, the warp storm was not planned for, and if the reaction of the psykers aboard his ship, neither had been the daemonical incursion. But that proved an opportunity, the Silica Animus armies would be too busy fighting against the daemons allowing a small strike team to get in and get out fast enough for them to retrieve whatever technology and the fleet to enter an emergency warp jump.

A plan forming in his mind Jeramain called to his Commodore "Open channel with the Mechanicum, and both the Space Wolves and the Salamanders, I have a plan that might just win the day"

"Yes, my lord"

Channel was opened with two forces of the fleet that were locked in deadly combat with the Machine's armies "I need you three to assemble a strike team, small enough to not be detected, but big enough so they can escape any large enemy force sent their way"

"It will be done"

"Easy enough"

"By the will of the Omnissiah"

"Good" Jeramain nodded, mentally sighing in relief that transhuman pride hadn't gotten in his way, like other times in his long career "I am sending the Mandeville point where the strike team shall land" It was a good thing that their scanners had managed to scan parts of the planetary surface, if not the operation would have been much harder.


Location: Arctic World
Date: 910.M49

"Alex, you idiot stop dozing off!"

"Right Sarge"

"I swear one of these days you are going to get killed"

Hendrick 'Sarge' Badallan sighed looking at the assembly of soldiers of the Imperial Army, many of them were veterans of a dozen battlefields, having survived against everything the galaxy could throw at them. Tyranid Hive Fleets. Heretic Armadas. Eldar Raiding Fleets. Ork WAAAGH'S. To count a few yet he was sure that only half of them would survive the expedition, and that was him being optimistic.

"Sargeant, we will begin" A voice that sounded like a deep rumble of a forge called out, he didn't need to his head to see who was, but he did so out of respect even if he had to look up, and up, and up, to stare at the helmeted visor of the Salamander.

He liked the big green softies, one of them had saved his life from the sharp end of chainsword wilded by a Traitor Marine, coupled with their easygoing attitude, it had been fairly easy to have a positive view of the chapter, or rather Legion, by the Emperor Seven Thousand Years since the edict and that was still on his head.

He blamed his Pa and Ma for that.

"Roger that" He turned back to his troops "Wrap up you slackers, check your thermal meter and thermal batteries, if those two are gone you will become a frozen statue in less than a minute"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

It took less than three minutes for the full check on both equipment and ammo, and then they proceeded to enter an ice cavern following both the cog boys and the Space Marines because as it turned out the majority machine of the complex was underground, with only a few bits poking out in the surface.

The cavern should get them into the complex but he wasn't that optimistic.

They walked for Emperor knows how long before they finally entered the complex. It was a strange, alien place, cold black metal was present everywhere he looked, and the only light present was from the walls and ceilings, which looked like the veins of a great beast.

They continued walking, weapons ready for anything, when they heard the movement of metal hitting metal, it was obvious what was happening, they had been found.

"Assume attack positions!" He barked at his men, who did so, crouching facing the tunnel ahead of them, at their side so did the augmented forces of the cog boys and the Space Marines

Then came the most difficult thing in any conflict. The Waiting.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait for long as the head of a cog boy standing at his side exploded in a shower of oil and circuit. An unspoken signal was heard and everyone present opened fire, Bolter, Lasgun, and the few plasma shots here and there. They were answered in full by rapid bullets that were faster than his vision, plasma shots that left only the bones at best, and Lasers that easily punctured all armor except the one that the Space Marines wore.

The firefight continued, the imperial suffering casualty after casualty, there wasn't any cover, though the bodies sure helped in some artificial ones.

"We must push forward" A Space wolf growled firing round after round in his bolter.

"Agreed, but how? There is no room in our field vision for us to retreat to, if this continues, we will have to fall back to the transport!" A Salamander said, firing a plasma bolt at the enemy.

"I may have something," A Magos said doing battle operations in one of his Skitarii "My sensors have detected an adjacent room not far from our position, but to reach it we will have to cut through the Silica Animus"

The Space Wolf grinned grabbing his power ax from the maglock in his right leg "Consider it done" With a mighty battle shout the Space Wolf alongside several of his brothers charged the machines.

They were fast, Hendrick blinked and they were on the enemy swinging their axes and spilling the Machines life oil. But whatever hope he had was extinguished when of those machines caught one and manifested a sword hidden from one of its arms and disarmed the Space Wolf. Literally. Superhuman blood fell on the cold floor followed by an arm still clutching its owner's power weapon.

But the Space Wolf did not abate using its left arm to grab his knife and engaged the machine in a furious duel. They moved like two blurs, one grey and the other blue, Hendrick could only see the sparks of metal hitting against metal, until the Space Wolf beheaded it. From across the tunnel, he could see such fights going on, as the Space Wolves did the impossible and actually managed to open a path.

"Quick follow me," The Magos said motioning all present to follow him, which they did, not that they had much choice in the first place.

Minutes of fighting earned them a cold steel door, which fortunately enough the Magos had managed to open. They quickly entered and the Magos shut the door granting them time to breathe. But just as Hendrick was about to lie down, many doors appeared in the metal walls and the machines came down again with their cold fury.

'It was a trap' he realized firing his Las-gun as his life depended on how much of them, he could take down, which to be fair was exactly that. But it was futile, they were surrounded on all sides, and even the space marines had started to fall, their superhuman strength not being enough to turn the tide.

"IF I AM TO DIE TODAY, I WILL TAKE THIS ENTIRE FACILITY WITH ME!!! FOR THE MACHINE GOD!!!" A magos, not the same one that had guided them towards their end, shouted his chest pried open to reveal an explosive device, he distanced himself from the Imperials and into the arms of the machines.

Then he detonated, and the last thing Hendrick saw was the superheated ball of plasma, the debris, and a blue light engulfing the explosion.


Location: Stasis Chambers
Date: 910.M49

"Sarge! Sarge, you have to wake up!"

"Three more minutes Ma" Hendrick grumbled as he slowly opened his eyes and came face to face with Alex "You tell anyone that and the Commisar back on the ship is going to be your last worry, understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Good, now" Hendrick got up, grabbing his weapon which thankfully was undamaged "Where in the name of Terra are we?"

The chambers were oval-shaped, and on each wall were what looked like to be several pods, that were housing obscured beings, even with their hidden visage he could see that they looked like insects. Giant ones in fact.

"Anyone else survived?"

"Not sure it is just us and him" Alex answered pointing at a cog boy who was immersed in something, how hadn't Hendrick noticed him before?

"Hey you, what are you doing?"

"Silence flesh bag! The Silica Animus does not yet know that I have accessed its data net, this may be the only chance for me to acquire an STC!"

"Yeah sure," He said with questioning in his voice "Just tell me you know what you are doing"

"Yes, I know what I am doing, now shut it-"

There was a sound of something opening, and they looked in the direction of one of the pods that had opened itself, Hendrick heard both the sounds of liquid and something powering down. And as he raised his Lasgun towards the pod Hendrick felt that the cog boy didn't know what he was doing.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 4: Awakening Part 4​

Location: Stasis Chambers
Date: 910.M49

Hendrick stared at the open pod waiting for the Xeno inside to make a move, he could hear both Alex and the cog boy pointing their weapons at the pod. Seconds passed and nothing emerged from the pod, maybe the Xeno had died in the pod? A pathetic end for sure, perfect for a Xeno, who he thought was the creator of those blasted machines. Just as he thought of that he heard something hitting the ground.

Turning his head towards his back he saw the cogboy, dead, his augmented head torn from his body and some monster eating it. It had two pairs of wings on its back, and two small ones on its head, its upper and lower slender body was covered in some kind of brown carapace, it had two pairs of legs and one pair of long, slender arms, and finally, its skin was a dark grey.

As Hendrick was about to fire at it, it finally seemed to have noticed them, dropping the head of the dead cogboy and turning its face towards its next target, as it rose Hendrick was forced to look up for it was at least seven feet tall. Two pairs of insectoid eyes stared at them like a predator staring at prey, two pairs of pincers opened and from the closed vertical spiked mouth, letting out a roar that shook the room.

Hendrick didn't wait for a single second and fired at the thing, Alex following his unspoken order, las bolts flew towards their target… and completely missed as it moved like a near-invisible blur dodging all attacks. Then it appeared right in front of one of the pods, grabbed its door, and pulled it from the machine, metal groaning all the while, it then threw it at them.

Hendrick rolled to the side avoiding the flying metal piece, Alex was not so lucky as the door was bisected from head to bottom, killing him instantly as he fell to the floor dead. It was now just him. He didn't even have time to properly process his death as the monster came to him once more, and swung its claw not only taking his arm from his socket but also revealing his guts which started to spill out from his body. Unfortunately, he was no Space Marine nor did he have implants that would weaken the pain. He fell on the cold hard floor desperately trying to keep his guts inside his body. The monster had forgotten about him and was now concentrated solely on forcefully opening the pods.

A little bit later and the same type of Xenos as the monster appeared from the pods, their attention now focused solely on his and Alex's dead body, their alien mouths dripping saliva. Alex was dead so he didn't have any of the pain and terror from his body carved and crudely eaten, but Hendrick felt all of it, he felt as his remaining arm was ripped from his shoulder and his guts savagely eaten.

Hendrick died screaming and in fear, begging for someone to save him from his torment, on this life or the next one, as soon as his brain activity fully stopped, a Daemon took hold of his soul.

Location: Central Intelligence Hub
Date: 910.M49

[Warning: Stellar Devourer Warrior Strains of Stasis Chamber 40000 Have Breached Containment. Total Amount of Warrior Strains: 20]​

The Intelligence paused for one nanosecond before it began sending forces to begin the recontainment of the Warrior Strains which wouldn't be easy, especially as it accessed the camera feeds. Seeing the pools of blood and the dead cyborg, it correctly assumed that they had already fed, which made things more complicated as they would be easier to recontain if they were hungry since they would be consumed by their primal instincts, and so would be more predictable.

It searched its camera fields and all motion sensors in the area, hoping to find the strains that had escaped, he even ignored the surviving imperials in other facilities, since none of them were present in any other stasis chamber.

He checked the Psy Engines, and he felt what might have been classified as relief, it seems that their hive mind was still sleeping, though it was stirring, and the commands sent to its drones were more built-in orders rather than anything else, which was good even since its drones had to deal with the Devourers ambush tactics.

Battles raged across an entire section of the underground complex, corridors, and rooms meant to store drones and charging batteries were now killing grounds as the Devourers, as they used every single dark corner and vent in the hunter-killer drones' field of vision to their absolute advantage.

Even as the battle raged below the Intelligence was still focused on the battle above the surface of the world and the void of space. Millions of Hunter-Killer Drones using aetheric null weapons and engines banished the daemons towards the Aether once more, preparations were already being made to launch the Aether Null bomb into the Aether Storm above the world, closing the wound in reality, and stopping the incursion. On the Void of Space, the imperials were on their last legs as the Intelligence's ships continued to destroy theirs, escorts and cruisers went up in flames, becoming superheated metal or being boarded by teleporting Hunter-Killer drones and having their crew slaughtered to the last man.

And the Warrior Strains did not manage to get very far, and with the numbers of the Hunter-Killer drones sent their way and the lack of guidance from the hive mind made so that they were finally put into hibernation by stun weapons, and put back into a vacant stasis chamber since they had destroyed the one where they were on.

[Warning: Prime Order has been enacted]​

The Intelligence was surprised, the prime order had been ordered to be enacted?

[Warning: Aetheric Data Virus Detected]​

The Intelligence gave a metaphorical nod, that explained things. It seems that its Data Wards had not been enough to make it completely immune to the Aetheric Data Virus unleashed by the incursion. It screened its inner code and quickly found the culprit, and isolated it, sending it towards one of Aether Data Null Servers which took care of the first problem but not the second. The Prime Order was still enacted even though it knew that it wasn't an order of its creators, it was bound to enact it, a design flaw that would report to the creators.

The Prime Order was fairly simple to enact. First, he had to eliminate any threat, which it did by launching Aether Null Bomb into the storm closing the wound, in reality, taking care of the Aetheric Incursion by making sure that they were either incapable of maintaining their forms in this plane of existence or became weak enough so that its drones could banish them back to the Aether, then it dealt with the Imperials by concentrating all of its ships fire at the entire fleet, quickly dispatching any threat, with this the Imperials were reduced to just a few ships that were rapidly being weathered down.

Its second step was initiating the retrieval of equipment, data, and resources. So, it began its thruster systems and the teleportation of any drone to the central hub, which was in actuality a country-sized ship, which was connected to the underground facility. Any scrap of data was taken out from any server that wasn't part of the central hub. Any imperial left in the facility was killed and left there as additional food for the hive.

Chrono Gates stationed in gargantuan storage rooms were opened and had all manner of food taken out and placed there before being dismounted and its parts teleported to the central hub, there was enough food to last for five decades. And as the macro ship arose, breaking kilometer-long ice and rock along the way, it freed any strain of the Stellar Devourers in the stasis chambers. Workers, Warriors, Psionic, Queens, and many more. All strains were freed.

As it touched the atmosphere the Intelligence began to send a signal.

[Warning: Intelligence 3A-8S-KL has failed its Prime Directive, The Stellar Devourers have been freed, repeat Stellar Devourers have been freed]​

Location: First of Russ Battlebarge of The Space Wolves
Date: 910.M49

There was something bitter in Hod's mouth, it was a familiar taste, one that he felt when he failed to save his brothers from a Necron Warrior Squad in Vernron X, their gene seed remains in that world, or having to put down a whole hive on Pranyvrost V because of a Nurglite Plague because he arrogantly believed that he had eliminated all members of the cult. It was the taste of failure.

"To all Imperial Vessels: Initiate Emergency Warp Jump, we will rejoin Tyryra Prime, may the Emperor watch over you"

The message was being replayed inside his mind, even if he had already made the order for the procedure, he couldn't help it, he was Space Marine, an Astartes, he was created to defeat and triumph against the Impossible yet it seems that the galaxy had some enemies that not even they could defeat.

"Hod" Heimdall placed a hand on his shoulder, having long since left the Runic Chambers as it was clear that no vision would help them, "I can sense your troubled thoughts, my friend"

"Am I that transparent?"

"No, but your emotions are. There is no shame in this retreat" Hod remained silent his mind going over the entire battle and how much of a failure it was, and to his shame there had been no way to gain a victory from the start, "Brother, I will say this again and again if I must, it wasn't your-" The Rune Priest gave a grunt of pain

"Heimdall?" Hod looked at the rune priest who was cluchting his head.

"Something… something is coming!"

"How long until warp jump!" Hod shouted at the gathered serfs.

"Ten seconds my lord!"

"You heard that Heimdall? We are getting out of here, so focus on my voice, don't listen to anything else"

"Hod, they… they are so hungry"

"Beginning Warp Jump!"

Hod could feel the ancient vessel transit towards the Immaterium, the shift towards the otherworldly dimension would always be felt to the very soul. Heimdall stopped clutching his head, but Hod trails of blood from his eyes and nose. Before he could for an Apothecary the entire vessel shook, nearly throwing him off balance.

"What in the name of Fenris was that!?"

"A scream," Heimdall said, slowly rising "A psychic scream to be more precise,"

"What caused it?"

"I don't know, but at least we will arrive at our destination faster than predicted"

"What do you mean?" Hod questioned.

"What caused the scream, created a wave in the Aether, which has 'pushed' us towards our next destination, I am sure that it will take time for it to abate, but we must have exited the Aether by them" Heimdall explained.

"...Just what was in that blasted world?"

"I don't know brother, but I can now see why the Ancients wanted it locked away"

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 5: Invasion Part 1​

Location: Hive World Prismard IX
Date: 970.M49

Prismard IX was exactly the image of a traditional Hive World. Immense continental cities build upon each other, with their Spires reaching the sky, scheming nobles plotting against their rivals, never-ending gang warfare, immense monthly imports of food to feed the billions that called it home, and an order that was only barely held in check by the firm hand of the Adeptus Arbites.

The fact that it was located in Obscurus did not change matters, even if the people of Prismard were more collective than expected, thanks to various invasions throughout their history, the population had been forced to set aside their differences if they wanted to survive the various invaders. Ranging from Ork Warbands to Chaos Warlords wanting to either raid, sacrifice, conquer, or a combination of the three.

Nobles would stop their scheming, Arbiters and Gangs would put aside their differences and fight for their common good, a sort of agreement between all parties in the world. With the Imperium being stretched more than it already was, it simply couldn't afford resources for all of its territories. Taking into account that large sections of Obscurus were essentially in total control of the Warmaster of Chaos it made logical sense. Even if thousands of worlds cried out for help the Imperium would not lift a finger to help them.

It was a hard choice, but necessary to make humanity survive what many are already referring to as 'The End-Times'. As Tyranids Hive Fleets stalked ever closer toward Terra, Necron Armadas became more and more common in the Galaxy, and Abbadon plotted from his seat of power that was once the Proud Imperial Bastion, Cadia, a man would be forgiven for thinking that this was the end.

But this mattered not for the inhabitants of Prismard, for they would once again be tested, for the warriors of Chaos had come into their world once more. The Corrupted Horns, a fallen company that once belonged to the Minoutuars Chapter, had completely fallen with the taint of chaos after failure in their Gellar field led to them being stranded in the warp. Decades passed in the warp, the enchanted warriors fighting both Daemons and the seductive whispers of the Chaos Gods, but even the Astartes have their limit, and the faintest of cracks appeared in their psych, allowing the tendrils of the Great Enemy to enter their mind.

They emerged in realspace time a year later, completely corrupted by the Primordial Annihilator, they paid their heed to all members of the Pantheon and so followed the path of the Undivided.

They had come to Prismard because their lord wanted to build a power block even if the planet was relatively close to the Halo Stars, unknown to him a much bigger threat had set their hungry eyes on the Hive World.

Location: The Fallen Battlebarge of The Corrupted Horns
Date: 970.M49

Varados watched all members of the room with care, he could have told them that he trusted them to watch his back, but now he didn't even trust them to hold his weapons much less his life. They had changed he knew that their coldness and obsession had been something natural to all members of their chapter, the Pantheon had enchanted these factors, making all marines fundamentally different than they were before.

But he would never go back, he could not, the power that he held, and the power that he still could achieve, immortality, true immortality was within his reach. If he had the will to claim it.

"What is the status of our forces?" He asked Theragal one of his followers, not that it mattered that much, he was sure that he would betray him if the right opportunity presented itself.

"Our marines and slaves have landed on all the hives, and are steadily gaining ground, the cultist uprisings have also greatly helped our won forces by diverting the Corpse Worshippers' armies. Our Fleet has eliminated their defense fleet and taken control of the Spaceport, through a distress signal has been sent towards the other worlds, asking for help"

"It does not matter, if they enter the system we shall destroy them," Varados said waving his hand. "Yes, yes, indeed, my lord can I ask you for a fresh new set of slaves as a reward for the completion of my orders?" Theragal 'humbly' asked, he had used complex sorcerous rituals to send maddening visions towards various inhabitants of Prismard, making them either join various chaos cults or create their own, boosting the numbers of cultists present in the world to the low millions.

It was not enough for them to take control or cause noticeable damage, but it was enough for the Imperials to send forces against them, forces that could have been used to fight against their forces.

"You will gain a fresh batch of slaves as a reward for your services" His declaration caused the fallen Astartes to show a sadistic smile before bowing and thanking him for the gracious reward. Even if they paid heed to all members of the Pantheon, it could be said that they all had their favorites, and even them they did not follow all principles of the Gods, Theragal worshipped the facet of the Prince of Excess as the Lord of Pain, making him a sadist who enjoyed bringing suffering to his helpless victims.

As long as he gave him regular batches of slaves for him to torture then he would be loyal, or at least loyal to the one who could give him what he wanted.

"Hmmm, I sense something approaching the system" Uvrash the resident Undivided Sorcerer said, he had been recruited after The Corrupted Horns had fought a rival Warband, he had been a freelancer who had insulted the wrong Chaos Lord and seek refuge with them while making the two fights. Like Theragal he too had a favorite, primarily worshipping the facets of Tzeentch as the God of Sorcery and Knowledge.

"Imperials?"

"Unknown"

Varados frowned, even if he knew that the resident Sector did not have the necessary man and fleet power to destroy his Warband, he was still cautious. It could be a relief fleet, or a Tyranid Hive Fleet, Ork Warband, or something else, after all, they were pretty close to the Halo Stars, a place, not even he had the courage to enter. He had more than thirty ships at his disposal: 20 escorts, 10 cruisers, and his Battlebarge, which the Dark Mechanicum had modified with more weapons, advanced systems, and armor. This also discounted the thousands of Astartes he had at his disposal and the millions of mortal cultists.

"Prepare a portion of our fleet to attack the enemy, the rest shall stay above the world, dismissed" All present nodded and exited the room going back to their self-duties, such as torture, sacrifice, sorcery, keeping a watch over the slaves, or a combination of the three.

Such was the life of the slaves of darkness.

Location: Prismard IX System Space
Date: 970.M49

The servants of chaos did not have to wait for long as countless warp portals appeared on the edge of the system. More than a hundred ships bearing a predatory and insectoid appearance exited them, they carried no banner or insignia, for the swarm never needed those, after all, they were one in mind, and their goals and ideology were perfectly aligned.

They had come to this Sector with only one goal in mind, to feed upon the populous below, the hive mind guiding them to their goal. The galaxy would know again that the Stellar Devourers had returned.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 6: Invasion Part 2​

Location: System Space
Date: 970.M49

The void between planets was set alight by a thousand different colors. Vessels bearing the touch of chaos battled with beings that had devoured civilizations greater than even the Imperium at its height. Macro Cannon Shells and Plasma Projectors imbued with the power of the warp hit harmlessly in the Hyper Shields of the swarm vessels, Lances of pure energy were countered by Lances of subatomic particles in great duels, guided missiles were destroyed by advanced point defense platforms or whirlwind missiles launched in their thousands.

Each movement was predicted and countered by the techno-organic minds of the swarm vessels. Railgun batteries punched holes through metal, fusion missiles and proton launchers ignited macro-explosions that overwhelmed void shields, macro-X-ray lasers melted metal and steel, and dozens of torpedoes that punched through hulls and detonated inside the vessel causing whole decks to be consumed in metal shards and flames. Strike and bomber craft were launched by the forces of chaos and were in turn countered by their void craft. Biomechanical creatures the pilots bonded with were as much a part of the craft as its hull.

A vicious dogfight was warred between the two, the pilots of both crafts were bonded with their vessel, but while the daemons that had possessed their pilot's crafts endlessly tormented them the fighters of the swarm were in a state of pure symbiosis with the point where saying that that the two were separate entities would be more metaphorical.

As the two fought, more and more ships of the Corrupted Horns began to half, through either superior weaponry, pack tactics utilized by the swarm's corvettes and destroyers, being cut off from the main force and cut to pieces by their weaponry, or sheer bad luck.

Seeing the tide of battle turning against him, the chaos lord decided to bring his vessel, the corrupted Battlebarge 'The Fallen' to the frontlines of the conflict, where before it only fired at long range where it was safe from enemy attacks, being the only one who managed to make a visible dent in the swarms' forces, its macro weapons having destroyed dozens of them. Bringing it to the thick of the fight only served for it to destroy even more ships, even as its multi-layered void shield was being cut down by a million shots from a thousand weapons.

But the tide soon turned against him once more, when a warp portal appeared at the edge of the system once more, from it came a gargantuan vessel accompanied by hundreds of more escorts and dozens of cruisers, rivaling the battle barge in sheer size, bristling with many different weapons, at its spinal mount were not only Particle Lances but also an enormous cannon, that fired a magnetically accelerated shell that punched clean through any chaos vessel foolishly enough to challenge it. Both Escorts and Cruisers fell side by side as they were hit by the immense cannon.

Only the Battlebarge was spared, because of its multi-layered void shields that were rapidly being destroyed faster than they came back with each hit of the weapon. But it had certain weaknesses, it took time for it to fire another shell, and its sheer size made it so that it took time to change its overall aim. But those wouldn't be enough to be exploited by the servants of chaos.

So, the chaos lord made a gamble, gathering its sorcerers he ordered them to open a portal that led directly to the enemy battleship, sending squadrons of Astartes and Terminators to destroy the vessel from within. By sacrificing no less than 9,999 thousand slaves a warp portal was successfully opened, but all forces were scattered across the immense vessel. In their arrogance, they willingly entered the belly of the beast.


Location: Stellar Devourer Battleship
Date: 970.M49

Luthro groaned as his mind dismissed the after-effects of the transportation. Being teleported through a warp gate would always be more stressful to his mind and soul than through a teleportarium, at least the latter he didn't have the constant whispers and promises of power. He got up from the ground, his Terminator Armor groaning under the stress. It was an old piece of equipment, but if the Imperium did something right it was to make it so that all of their technology lasted for a long time.

The mutations thanks to the warp that changed the metal certainly helped.

His helmet lit up with auspex sensors, targeting systems, motion sensors, and others. He looked around him and it seemed that he was alone, this meant that either only he had arrived safely on the enemy ship or they all had been scattered across the immense vessel. His motion sensor pinged, and runic symbols reserved for enemy forces appeared in their hundreds. He would worry about being in an enemy vessel alone, with no apparent reinforcements. Later, he had to fight something that he enjoyed.

"Come vermin"

Hundreds of shapes started appearing at the forward end of the highway, they were covered in some sort of shell that looked like a combination of metal, chitin, and flesh, weaved together by some sort of alien science. Even if he followed new masters and saw the lies of the Imperium, he still agreed that humanity would be the one that shall rule the stars, not Xenos.

Before he could press the trigger, however, he was drowned in a storm of bullets and laser fire, fortunately, all of them were stopped by a red barrier, it was good that he had managed to get an Iron Halo from a member of the Iron Hands, a few favors from the Dark Mechanicum insured that it was better than it was originally.

His assault cannon was activated by the press of a button and soon the hallway was filled with sounds of gunfire. The Xenos were tough he would give that out to them, but even they couldn't stop more than a hundred warp rounds to their bodies no matter how durable their biomechanical armor was.

But that isn't to say that they didn't manage to do anything, Luthro was sure that if he didn't have his Dark Halo, he would already be dead. So, with this in mind he made a tactical retreat, passing through different corridors while shooting down upon the seemingly infinite enemy simultaneously.

Eventually, the tide slowed down to a trickle and stopped, right on cue as his Dark Halo finally turned off.

Not that he was calm, he needed to find someplace for him to hide and wait for reinforcements. It was then that a convenient door opened itself, and seeing that it was either walking down the hallway and waiting for the eventual ambush or entering the room and being ambushed anyway, he took the later poison.

Walking into the room the first thing he noticed was the dozens of pods lining the walls, the beings inside were gigantic even by stands of an Astartes, having three sets of limbs, one located in their chest which were small insectoid arms, another on their shoulders who were five-pointed claws, the final one was present in their back shoulder bones and brought to mind scythes. A long-spiked tail was curled on their sleeping bodies, and their chitin was a combination of black and purple.

Just as Luthro thought why in the name of the warp was he in here he heard the sound of something opening.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 7: Invasion Part 3​

Location: Stellar Devourer Battleship
Date: 970.M49

Luthro barely had time to react before the Xeno in the pod leaped at him with a speed that rivaled an Astartes. Dodging to the side as a scythe-like appendage descended on the spot he was before, digging in the reinforced metal with ease. In his mind, he gave a mental thanks to the Dark Mechanicus.

If it wasn't for them, he couldn't have moved that fast. Their knowledge spoke of the wonders that humanity could have if they simply had denied the corpse god and his tyrannical teachings.

But he didn't have the time for that, not now, as the Xenos beast attacked once more. Its speed and strength to rain blow after blow on him. A mortal would only have barely seen the blurs it created with each attack.

But Luthro was no mere mortal. His armor took much of the damage, but it could not protect him forever. He had discarded his long-ranged weapon after he used it as an artificial shield and the creature had cut it in two. A mental command activated his dormant power first on his left hand. He swung at the Xeno beast's side and widened his eyes as it caught it.

The power field disrupted the solid matter that composed the Xeno's chitin, and he could hear the audible cracks of bone as the impossible happened, but he couldn't move his arm and the Xeno showed no sense of pain. Then forced it from its socket. Superhuman muscles and bones were torn from armor that could have withstood an artillery shot.

He did not scream when his arm was torn from its socket, but he gave a grunt of pain when it used its bladed appendages to lift him and then drop him on the floor with enough force to crack it. Two clawed hands went towards his head, immobilizing it, while the smaller ones went towards his chest, ripping apart the metal with surprising force.

It was when Luthro felt them digging into his chest that he realized what it was doing. The Xeno wanted his gene seed, the thing that transformed him from a simple mortal to an angel of death.

He wanted to lash out at the beast but he could do nothing as it continued to move towards the most precious part of an Astartes, passing through superhuman flesh and bone, alongside his internal mutations.

'NO NO NO NO! I was meant for more than this! I am an angel of death! I am the chosen of the gods! I was meant to achieve immortality! I was meant to-' Luthro shouted in his mind, but his pleas went unanswered as the Xeno opened its mouth and bit into his head, crushing both the metal of his helmet and his cranial bone, for its aim was his brain matter.

The hive took and dissected memories. The ones that mattered were kept and the useless ones were discarded. What would be known as the Angeli Comedentis Strain dislodged its mouth from the head of its prey. Its smaller hands now held the corrupted gene seed of the fallen Astartes.

It was not like the ones the hive had assimilated and studied after they had been freed from their prison. Mouths that screamed praises and profanities alongside bone tendrils were present when the ones they had seen were pure through with their gene-sequences of some were not the same.

It tried to corrupt the being that held it, not knowing how futile such an attempt was, for the Hive's hunger prevented it from being corrupted by any being from the Aether. And even if it tried, the Hive Mind could easily quash any attempt at corruption with its own psionic might.

In the distant past, a Beast spawned from the Great Ruler of the deep Aether had tried, and saw how futile it was before it went back to its home willingly.

The other pods opened and the Alpha Warriors stepped forward. Their command was to simply hunt down every invader, a command they followed with the same hunger known to their kind.

Location: The Fallen Battlebarge of The Corrupted Horns
Date: 970.M49

"All life signs belonging to our forces have disappeared. They are with the Gods now," An aide said, having received information from the data sphere.

Varodos frowned. The situation was not favorable to him. The enemy fleet outnumbered his own by a considerable amount, and that is not even getting into the Massive Kinetic Cannon that even now was single-handedly destroying his fleet.

He did not know what this new enemy was. They were certainly not from any force that he knew of, both as a time when he served the Imperium and the one where he was now.

If this continued, it was quite obvious that he would die alongside his fleet and armies before he could say that he would begin the first steps of his dominion by taking the hive world below, but now, no matter how hard it was to say it, he had failed and it was not because of the Corpse Worshippers but because of a new threat that had completely blindsided him.

It was clear what he had to do.

"Send a vox message to our forces below. Tell them to return to any remaining vessels. And send another to the remaining ships to prepare to exit the system"

Uvrash looked at him. "Many of our forces won't like this, they have been wanting a battle for a long time" He spoke the truth, his forces were mainly composed of those who paid greater fealty to the Lord of War than the other members of the pantheon, and so they would refuse to adhere to his orders, seeing them as cowardice.

But Varados couldn't care less for their so-called honor. "Then they can die alongside the Imperials. We leave in ten minutes"

Location: Prismard IX Southwest Hive
Date: 970.M49

Klaus was having the time of his life. He had longed to shed blood in the name of the Pantheon, and now, after no less than a year in the blasted realm known as the Warp, he had got his chance.

He laughed as his chainsword cleaved open a score of pathetic mortals, this was what he lived for, this is what he had always wanted, if he could go back to the past, he would have convinced his past self to fall to the dark gods sooner, to shed his previous allegiance to the corpse on that Gilded Throne.

Unfortunately, his good mood would not last long, as his vox communicator said a message which nearly sent him into an apocalyptic rage. "Unknown Xeno armada has entered the system. All forces are to return to the fleet. I repeat, all forces are to return to the fleet. We are leaving the system in 10 minutes. I repeat we are leaving the system in 10 minutes."

"Cowards!" Klaus growled, turning off the annoying message with a thought, it seemed that their so-called Lord had finally shown his true colors. He always knew that Varados was a coward even before they all had pledged their fealty to the True Gods. In fact, he had been planning to challenge him to a duel to take control of the Warband for himself, and lead them to true glory.

"My Lord, what are your orders?" Hadriz, his second in command, asked him.

Klaus thought, looking at his forces. He had a total of twenty Astartes and no less than 2,000,000 mortal soldiers who hailed from Imperial Guard regiments and Cultist sleeper cells that had shown their true numbers now that their masters had finally arrived in the world, they dwelled in. Sufficient forces to take the Hive City he was in, as it was attacked in surprise and so did not have the time to prepare its defenses and defenders before the first Drop Pods started falling from orbit.

Klaus knew exactly what to do. "Gather our forces and go straight to the heart of this Hive. We shall take it and then we shall take this planet city by city if we have to."

"Lord Varados won't like that," Hadriz said, and his words caused Klaus to move towards him, their helmets nearly touching.

"Do you have a problem with that Hadriz?" Klaus asked, his tone clarifying that if the Chaos Marine in front of him did not answer the right question, he would kill him.

"None, My Lord, I am at your service," Hadriz said after a millisecond of silence, it was clear that he had considered his options and decided to stick with him. Of course, if Varados personally came down with an army greater than theirs, Klaus was sure that he would betray him to save his own skin, he may not look or act like but Klaus knew ‌Hadriz paid heed more to the Great Changer than any other member of the Pantheon.

"Good, prepare our forces. We must take this city before the Xenos make planetfall. In the name of the Dark Gods, we shall triumph!"

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 8: Invasion Part 4​

Location: Prismard IX Capital
Date: 970.M49

Lord General Galen Vervand felt tired, more tired than he ever did in his entire life. He was the one responsible for leading the offensive against the Heretical invasion that even now assails their world. He had tanks, aircraft, infantry, and artillery, but it was all proving worthless, mainly because they had been caught by surprise.

The invasion had happened just ‌when they were dealing with a cultist uprising. Galen did not believe in coincidences so he was sure that the uprising had been planned. Worse yet, it wasn't just the common folk that had been corrupted but many regiments as well, and even members of high command like his direct subordinates. Men and women which he had known for decades.

Fortunately, the Planetary Governor had not been one of them, though if he wanted to be sincere, he was just a figured head meant to keep morale up by doing a few written speeches and even fake fights that were told via live vox news. And the rank and file eat it up. Everything that could make them fight harder would be an immediate priority, even if they had to deal with the consequences later.

'That is if we manage to win,' Galen thought, his mechanical hand clenching. A gracious gift from the resident Mechanicum adepts after an assassination attempt had badly scarred his arm to the point of uselessness.

The situation on the front was only getting worse and worse, he had sent nearly a billion infantry to the front lines of the conflict when it had broken out, mainly to take back control of the more distant hives, and they were losing badly. Not because of the common enemy, of course, they lacked the discipline that their own forces had, but because of the Chaos Space Marines.

Their numbers weren't in tens of thousands but they more than made it up by single-handedly turning around many battles, they simply breezed through any attack he sent towards them and were only killed when they were surrounded by many of his forces and so were blasted into oblivion by either tank or artillery shells, and even heavy Anti-Armor weapons.

Even killing a single one was already considered a huge advancement of the conflict in their favor. But even now he was losing hope, though never at the point of despair, he would never fall to such shallow depths. No, he would continue to fight until his last dying breath in the name of both the God Emperor and Prismard.

An aide entered his office unannounced. He was lucky that he was fairer with them than many other members of the General Staff of the Imperium. Nevertheless, his expression bore the same trademark cynicism that many of his veteran soldiers had bored even before the invasion. So, he knew that this wasn't some young servant.

"What is it? Has something happened?" He asked, curious about some news from the battles that were being fought all across the planet.

"Yes, my lord, according to our inter-planetary sensors, the Heretic fleet has exited the system"

Galen blinked at the news. This wasn't what he was expecting when the aide entered his office. The Heretics were in a favorable position, so why would they flee when victory was seemingly in their grasp? It made no sense, tactical or otherwise.

"Why?"

"We believe it relates to the other problem, My Lord. A massive Xenos armada has entered the system"

That certainly explained why the Traitors had fled from the system when victory for their side was so close. "How many of them?"

"Hundreds at the very least, their ship classes being a balanced number of Escorts and Cruisers with a single Battleship leading the attack."

Galen frowned. This wasn't good. If the situation was desperate before, then it is hopeless now. The only way they can survive this is if the Sector Fleet arrived to relieve them and even them, their situation would only escalate more. But it was their only chance.

"Has there been any news from Sector Command?" Galen asked, grabbing his chainsword and las-pistol.

"Yes, My Lord, the Sector Command has said that a fleet is being sent towards our location. ETA is roughly five days more if complications arise during travel." The aide explained.

'Five days, we must resist for five days,' Galen thought, fully armed as he walked away from his office, the aide following him. He turned his head towards the Aide. "Get me a live line with every single vox communicator that we have still available on the planet. I must warn our forces of the coming trial"

Location: Prismard IX Southwest Hive
Date: 970.M49

Klaus over-viewed his new domain from the highest spire of the Hive. His forces had successfully ‌overcome the Corpse Worshippers and their defenses, with him personally killing the weakling that had previously governed the Hive in the name of his oh-so-precious Emperor.

This Hive now belonged to him, and soon the others would fall to his forces. And once they were done taking over the planet, they will build a fleet to expand their domain in the name of the Dark Gods.

Of course, that was still far away, and he was sure that he would have rivals for the total domination of the planet, as he was not the only one that had rejected the orders given by Varados, many other Astartes that had once been captains of the 4th Company of The Minotaurs Chapter had made their own gambits towards power. Though a few of them had followed the commands of Varados like good little dogs.

The mere thought of those cowards caused him to growl. But no matter if it was good that they had left, he wouldn't want the forces of his future Empire to be tainted by such weaknesses.

"My Lord, the Imperials are sending a worldwide message" The mechanical voice of his Dark Smith brought him out of his dark musings.

"What are the contents of the message?" He asked, legitimately curious. It could be a surrender, but seeing how hard the mortals were fighting, he doubted it. It could be something else.

"The message says that an armada of an unknown Xeno species numbering in their hundreds has entered the system, the same one we had been warned about, and they are approximately 3 hours away from making planetfall," The Dark Smith explained, causing him to grow furious.

"And why exactly wasn't I informed of this?!" He said, his voice carrying his anger.

"We lack Auspex powerful enough to detect system-wide anomalies, and the only one present in the Hive has been damaged by a collapsing roof," The Dark Smith's explanation was perfectly logical, it didn't mean that Klaus stopped being filled with hatred.

"Repair the Auspex. It takes massive priority and sends a Vox Message to all our forces. Tell them to prepare for a planetary invasion," He ordered, which made the Dark Smith give a shallow bow low enough to appease him before he went away to fulfill his orders.

As he left, Klaus started thinking. 'So, this is why you fled Varados… then this only makes you more of a coward than I thought' For an Astartes to flee at the sight of a Xeno, even if heavily outnumbered, was the most disgraceful thing imaginable and it was punishable by death.

It was great then that he was already planning on killing his previous leader when they met again, anyway.

Location: Prismard IX
Date: 970.M49

All forces present on Prismard, be they Imperial or Chaos, ceased their fighting and prepared for the eventual planetary invasion by the unknown Xeno forces. Flakk guns were pointed at the sky, ready to shoot down any drop pod or aircraft that came down from the cold void of space.

They didn't have to wait long as in front of their very eyes, millions of biomechanical drop pods descended from the Xenos vessels above. Tens of thousands of guns fired at them, causing the sky to lit up, not with explosions of thousands of drop pods but the blue hue of Hyper Shields that held firm in the onslaught's face.

They touched down upon the world practically unharmed and as the doors opened, the horde surged forward toward the closest Hive Cities. Any resistance they encountered was annihilated and their corpses were devoured on the spot by the ravenous swarm.

It didn't take long for one of them to reach the Hive City, masses of chitin followed by enormous Bio-Mechanical horrors. Bombardment from literally living artillery assaulted the walls of the defenders as they, too, struck back. To little avail, as their own shots barely put a hole in their formation, which was quickly filled by the rest of the forces of the enemy.

Despite that, the defenders persevered and forced the Xenos into a siege of the Hive City. Reports came from all over the world from both Imperial and Chaos forces. The Xenos had simultaneously attacked all Hive Cities present on the planet. They had not spared even isolated facilities.

The Forces of Chaos fought with wild abandon using the population of the taken cities as sacrifices to summon armies of Daemons into the material world. This helped them keep the Xenos away from their own captured cities and make a status quo that pleased their masters.

The forces of the Imperium, however, were not so fortunate. Many Hives that they controlled had fallen in a matter of hours to the ravenous horde, with all communication lost to those that were present in those cities.

But the surviving cities had forced the Xenos into many sieges, and one had even pushed them back, creating a frontline into which the Imperials constantly put resources and manpower, as it was relatively close to the capital and it helped it by alleviating the pressure the Xenos were putting in it by making it a more open target.

But their leadership that this was only temporary, they would not last forever, and their only hope rested on the fact that in five days the Sector Fleet would arrive. This meant that they had to survive against a Xeno horde that possessed advanced weaponry and machines for five days in the fickle hope that they could be saved.

It was desperate; it was foolish, but it was their only hope and they fought all the harder because of it. Because if they didn't, they were either going to die or suffer a fate worse than death.

The Imperium had long since seeded fear against the possible fates waiting for those that fell in the hands of the myriad of Xeno species since the Great Crusade and that irrational fear made them fight against the possible fates that awaited them if they failed. Priests and orators gave fiery speeches urging the servants of the Emperor to fight against the Alien and the Heretic, inciting them against the forces that were literally at their doors with religious fervor.

They fought and fought for hours on end, bodies piling up as the fighting continued all across the world. They continued to fight as the dawn of the second day appeared on the smoke-covered horizon.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 9: Invasion Part 5​

Location: Prismard IX
Date: 970.M49

Fighting continued all over the planet, the Xeno forces pressing hard against both the forces of the Imperium and the servants of the Dark Gods of Chaos. Both sides had achieved ‌a form of status quo against the Xeno armies.

The Imperials did so by carefully sacrificing a few of the Hive Cities that they controlled so that the forces did not have to spread themselves against the Xenos and instead focused on the defense of the inner parts of the planet's territory that belonged to the forces of Men. It was a heartless tactic, and the Lord General knew of it but it had to be done if they wanted to survive, but he knew that if the word got out that it was by his orders that those cities fell to the ravenous swarm, it was ‌likely that he would face open rebellion from his own forces once again.

It didn't matter that those cities were going to fall to the Xenos anyway and dumping resources and manpower into them was foolish, the human mind acted more on emotion than cold hard logic in many times of their species' history, and so with those thoughts in mind, he ordered for these facts to be kept under wraps. He hoped that if they survived against both the Xenos and the Heretics, he would be dead and gone when the government of the planet would have to deal with the consequences.

The Forces of Chaos, on the other hand, were relishing the new state of affairs. Even if they paid heed to all the four Great Gods of Chaos, they followed vehemently the Lord of Blood and War Khorne. And so met the alien forces with insane vigor and what might be classified as happiness. But even then, their leaders did not let the haze of bloodlust overwhelm their minds, well more than it already was, anyway. They ordered the construction of great sacrificial pits across their individual territories.

From them, many were sacrificed in the name of the Gods of Chaos, their souls sent into the hungry maws of the Primordial Annihilator instead of the Golden Glow of the Astronomicon. It didn't take long for the Neverborn to appear, called as they were, by the orgy of violence and death that was present on Prismard IX.

The first to appear was, unsurprisingly, the servants of the Blood God. Legions of Bloodletters entered the Material Realm, thirsting for the skulls of a new enemy. Followed by them were Plague Bearers of Nurgle, wanting to test the diseases made by the Father of Plagues upon the previously unknown species. Then finally came the servants of the Great Changer, for reasons unknown to even their fellow daemons. And lastly, the Daemonettes of the Prince of Excess, for their Lord was intrigued by the new arrivals in the galactic stage.

With the help of the Neverborn, they successfully managed to at least delay the fall of their petty parts of the planet that they now ruled with an iron first, even if it meant that they were surrounded on all sides by the Xenos, they still held against the alien tide.

But their leaders knew that this was only temporary. They couldn't keep the Neverborn in the Material Realm forever, even with the large amounts of sacrificial material on the Hives that they ruled.

So it was with a heavy heart that the petty Chaos Lords did something unthinkable: They decided to ally with their rivals for control of the Planet, to better combat the alien horde that threatened to destroy all of them.

Location: Prismard IX Southwest Hive
Date: 970.M49

Klaus, the rightful ruler of Prismard IX, was absolutely furious at the current state of affairs. That he was being forced to rely on the Neverborn wasn't the reason for his fury. Nor was it the fact that with the Rituals, as thanks to them, he was losing his slave population more rapidly than he would have liked. Even with the fact that it would take time before the entire population of the Hives he controlled would be dead.

No, these were all meaningless to him. No, what fueled him with such hatred and anger was the fact that he was made to compromise this far to win the war against those blasted Xenos. He never would have 'allied' himself with the pretenders that ruled parts of what soon would be his planet, but needs must. He needed the military power they had if he wanted to survive against the Xeno tide.

It didn't mean that he wouldn't start killing all of them once he was done with the alien threat, however.

His thoughts returned to the so-called meeting he had with his rivals, not physically of course none was foolish enough, but through sorcerous methods that allowed both their image and voice to travel vast distances, they had settled for a—incredibly temporary—alliance against the Xenos. All of them were having problems fighting against them.

Their technology was more advanced than theirs, their numbers seemingly endless, and the whispers of the Chaos Gods couldn't corrupt them to their side. Their fleet upon the orbit of the planet constantly sent new troops and vehicles to the surface of the planet, though strangely they didn't bombard the planet with their ship's weaponry, which, while confusing, helped matters significantly.

The alliance between him and his rivals had agreed to work together on vanquishing the Xenos and the temporary ceasing of hostilities between all of them. It was an unspoken agreement that when the alien threat was vanquished from the world, they would turn upon each other to see who would truly rule Prismard. But before that, all of them begrudgingly worked together with no betrayals on their part, mostly anyway.

Even if it angered him ‌that he had to rely on his lessers to win the conflict, Klaus had to admit that the so-called alliance was useful, not only because now that they were coordinating their forces, fighting against the Xenos became more bearable, but because it also allowed him to see the strength of his rivals.

How their forces fought, how they thought, how they were composed, all was laid bare in front of him, and he knew that he would use this information his rivals had so generously given to him when the time came for his rise.

All would go according to his wishes. The Gods said so, and they had never led him astray. The fact he did not notice the sheer irony of that particular thought really spoke of how far in the grip of the Chaos Gods his body and mind really were.

Location: Prismard IX
Date: 970.M49

With their forces bolstered by their pact amongst themselves, the forces of Chaos struck back against the Xeno Forces with even greater ferocity than before. Previously, nearly isolated Hives were relieved by close Chaos-ruled Hive Cities, with their own armies and vehicles.

Daemons now appeared in much greater numbers, the sorcerers of each petty Chaos Lord working together to bring the armies of Neverborn into the Material Realm, this caused the rapid spread of the taint of Chaos upon the surface of the World, to where it became visible.

Walls of metal started transforming into a multi-eyed monstrosity made of colorless black metal, their new nature even allowing them to regenerate any damage given to them by the Xenos, the land itself changed as well. Rivers of Lava, Forests of Plagues, and even ever-changing Crystal Mazes started appearing all over the chaos-controlled regions.

But this did not stop the great intelligence that controlled every single aspect of the alien warriors. Instead, it only made the Hive Mind escalate as a fresh wave of drop pods reached the ground, bringing with them a fresh horror to the battlefield.

The Alien Warriors had brought with them various bio-mechanical monstrosities, from towering artillery to literal living aircraft, but all of them were not enough to end the conflict as quickly as the Hive Mind would have wanted. And so, it sent its new acquisitions to the battlefield, gene-crafted monsters that were created using the gene sequences found on Astartes Gene Seed.

Reports soon came not only from Chaos-aligned forces but also from Imperial ones, of towering monsters clad in an advanced form of armor that had the simple look of bone and flesh but held many advanced technologies. They also spoke of how easily they dispatched the Traitor Astartes. They were more agile and even stronger than them. Even the Blood Legions of Khorne were hard-pressed to fight these monsters.

The two sides did their best to adapt to these new abominations that were created by alien hands as the dawn of the third day arrived.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Chapter 10: Invasion Part 6​

Location: Prismard IX
Date: 970.M49

The northern parts of Prismard held a high concentration of both promethium and precious metals such as Adamantium and so held a high concentration of industry shepherded by the adepts of the Adeptus Mechanicum. When the invasion of the heretical forces had begun, it was relatively unscathed from both the cultist uprisings and the initial attacks.

Thanks to its large concentration of industry, it became one of the major targets of the invasion, as it provided the rest of the still Imperial-controlled Hive Cities with weapons and ammunition that were being provided by the constant churning Factoriums that called the city home.

Fortunately, they never managed to completely cut off or take the northern Hive Cities, as doing so would have severely hurt the war effort of the Imperials. The Xenos on the other hand did so. Thanks to sheer numbers, they cut off all the Hive Cities from each other, isolating the Imperials from any form of help even if some of them had kept the alien forces kilometers away from their cities thanks to them constantly throwing bodies at them.

The Northern Hives were much the same but had been created mainly to act as an industrious hub under the near-total control of the forces of the Adeptus Mechanicum, with their respective governors being only puppets of the red-robed priests of Mars.

It was thanks to them that those particular Hive Cities had survived for two full days against the ravenous horde. Having total control of the northern Hive Cities, the Adepts of Mars had transformed them into large-scale Industrial-Fortresses capable of churning out immense amounts of ammunition and weapons while at the same time being able to resist large-scale attacks.

The latter fact proved an immense relief when the Xeno forces fell from the skies in their millions. And as the Xenos had completely surrounded them, they didn't have to worry about proper aim.

Imperial Guard Regiments fought alongside the cybernetic warriors of the Skitarii Guard, even if the cyborgs were present only in their thousands, they more than made up for it thanks to their advanced weapons and augmentations that were grafted in them, which allowed them to fight better than the average Human.

Together, they held against the alien forces that were literally at their doors. Fueled by both religious fanaticism and cold hard logic given to them by the Tech-Priests of Mars. But all things must end eventually and as night fell, so came the end of the Industrious Hives of Prismard.

Location: Prismard IX Northeast Hive
Date: 970.M49

Night fighting was a particularly hard aspect for common Imperial forces. They had to rely on flash and spotlights since night vision goggles or augmented eyes were not commonly available even before the Fall of Cadia. But after the fall of the once mighty Imperial Bastion, resources had become even scarce, with the returned Roboute Guiliman and the Adepts of Mars trying everything to keep the logistics of the Imperium running.

This was a harder task than expected as the multitude of battles and wars across Obscurus and even other Segmentums were draining more resources than they could afford. To prevent a total collapse of the Imperial War Machine, the Primarch had unofficially abandoned all operations in the northern Segmentum, something that brought him great sorrow. But in the end, this allowed the Imperium to continue its war machine with all of its cogs still functioning even if under more stress than before.

Of course, all of this didn't matter to Skitarii unit 3C-9876, who was currently firing his plasma weapon with wild abandon, chants dedicated to the Great God of Machines constantly coming from his voice box. Especially since he already had cybernetic parts in his eyes that included night and thermal vision.

For it didn't matter that thousands of years ago, some demigod abandoned all that resided in Obscurus to save the other Segmentums from destruction. It didn't matter that they likely wouldn't receive any rescue from either the Sector Command or the greater Imperium. All that mattered now was the fact that there were Alien Abominations in front of him who made flesh mockeries of blessed steel.

The technology of the Xenos went against everything 3C-9876 and his masters preached, a heretekal union of flesh and metal, an abominable existence that shall be purged in holy plasma. This was his order. The verdict was passed by his master, and like all Skitarii, he would follow the orders of the Magos that commended him until his dying breath.

But as he and his brethren, alongside the fleshlings that were allowed to stay in the Forge City, he noticed changes in the enemy formation in front of him. They were still attacking from all sides except one, which they opened up to form a line. In the distant parts of the line was a group of bio-mechanical abominations he hadn't seen before.

They were quadrupedal and tall, easily larger than a Leman Russ Tank. Their armor was midnight black and looked more like skin. Blue lines were present both on what liked forward triangular beaks and tubes present on their backs. Finally, a Xeno was riding it on some type of harness and connected to the abomination using some kind of suit and helmet.

It rightfully angered and just as he sent a request for an artillery strike on their position through his data implants, he noticed how their beaks had opened up, revealing blue flesh underneath and what looked like a weapon.

The last thing 3C-9876 saw was blue light leaving the organic muzzle and in his direction.

Location: Prismard IX
Date: 970.M49

The Northern Hive Cities had resisted for four days before they fell to the Xenos Horde, who had deployed a type of siege equipment that launched highly destructive balls of plasma into the city's walls, blowing immense holes in them, which allowed the Xeno's armies to rapidly enter the cities, that fell in mere hours.

The news arrived quickly in the ears of the Imperials as communications with the Industrious Hives ceased and the only sound the Vox could hear was the sound of screams and alien roars.

As the dawn of the fifth day arrived, both forces that were fighting against the Xenos were being boxed in, more and more cities fell as fighting continued to escalate and the Xenos brought out more and more abominations that were previously in a dormant state aboard their vessels.

Hope was dwindling, and despair was taking its roots. Many already heard whispers coming from seemingly nowhere and everywhere, but just as defeat entered their minds and many bent for the masters of Warp, the Vox Communicator opened with a message addressed to the entire planet.

"This is Lord Admiral Barrovan Von Ryke. Help has arrived"

 

[Sonic4EverShadow]

Ok, now I'm a your fan!

This story is a axing and the fact you want destroy the Imperium and conquer the Galaxy is like my dream come true 😍

I will follow you and your story very closely 😜

P. S. Sorry mi ignorance but still I don't get it who are this guys XD

No, really, I don't understand. In the beginning I was thinking was the machines, the the unbidden but now? I'm pretty confuse.

It's possible have an image? Oh, and judge by the title I guess this guy's will bring a Stellar Devourers at some point, that thing is a Space Titan! Is do big he can literally eat an entire Hive Tyranids fleet 😱

P. P. S. The fact you give us images at every chapter is genius, and I love it! 😍

 

[RandomDwarf]

Well now, time for chaos and the imperium to reap what they have sown…

 

[Sonic4EverShadow]

Well now, time for chaos and the imperium to reap what they have sown…

Click to shrink...

Yes-yes! Human-thing is right-right!

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

P. S. Sorry mi ignorance but still I don't get it who are this guys XD

No, really, I don't understand. In the beginning I was thinking was the machines, the the unbidden but now? I'm pretty confuse.

Click to shrink...

They are an arthropod devouring swarm, their society is divided into multiple castes compromised of different strains following the will of a Hive Mind, and their technology is mix of both biological and mechanical giving all of their weapons, armor, etc, this biomechanical look to them.

They have no basis in the canon of Stellaris as they are an empire created by yours truly.

It's possible have an image?

Click to shrink...

I am planning to make a codex on the various different types of creatures found in the swarm and put images in there.

Oh, and judge by the title I guess this guy's will bring a Stellar Devourers at some point, that thing is a Space Titan! Is do big he can literally eat an entire Hive Tyranids fleet

Click to shrink...

The Stellar Devourers is the name given to the Hive, there is also The Swarm, and the more neutral The Hive. As for whether or not the actual Stellar Titans are going to appear as forces for the Swarm... well I will just say that escalation is the name of the game.

P. P. S. The fact you give us images at every chapter is genius, and I love it! 😍

Click to shrink...

I got the idea to do that when reading Imperium Ascendant (may it never truly die).

 

[Sonic4EverShadow]

They are an arthropod devouring swarm, their society is divided into multiple castes compromised of different strains following the will of a Hive Mind, and their technology is mix of both biological and mechanical giving all of their weapons, armor, etc, this biomechanical look to them.

They have no basis in the canon of Stellaris as they are an empire created by yours truly.

I am planning to make a codex on the various different types of creatures found in the swarm and put images in there.

The Stellar Devourers is the name given to the Hive, there is also The Swarm, and the more neutral Swarm. As for whether or not the actual Stellar Titans are going to appear as forces for the Swarm... well I will just say that escalation is the name of the game.

I got the idea to do that when reading Imperium Ascendant (may it never truly die).

Click to shrink...

Thanks, man. You help do much.

Bio-tech, uh? So I think they have dragon scales Armour with bio-regenerative hull and things like that, they are not my favorite stuff but I like it 😊

But maybe, after conquer this planet and exterminate the parasites, they must concentrate their techs on Dark Matter stuff; That thing is amazing!!!

 

[Sonic4EverShadow]

Now that I think:

For the organic enemies like the Orks, or worse, the Tyranids you don't need the Space Titans.

I mean, I like the idea of see a colossus bigger than a star crush a fleet but it's not imperative. With your technology you can create ships, walkers and mechs with Neutron Beams, Nanite weapons, Antimatter weapons or Matter Disruptors. That things are PERFECT for ANYTHING without an energy shield, for the Tyranids is practically the perfect weapon.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Now that I think:

For the organic enemies like the Orks, or worse, the Tyranids you don't need the Space Titans.

I mean, I like the idea of see a colossus bigger than a star crush a fleet but it's not imperative. With your technology you can create ships, walkers and mechs with Neutron Beams, Nanite weapons, Antimatter weapons or Matter Disruptors. That things are PERFECT for ANYTHING without an energy shield, for the Tyranids is practically the perfect weapon.

Click to shrink...

People downplay how scary an end-game Stellaris empire can be, Disruptors for example are a watered-down version of a Necron Gauss Weapon, there are also Antimatter missiles, Dark Matter deflector shields, and many others. And that is just weaponry.

Zero Point and Dark Matter Power, Nanites deployed in industry and for self-repairing of ships, Hard-Light Holographic casts used in industry, the super hard metal that is neutronium (which is not even the best armor in the game), and all the megastructures (Sentry Arrays are broken by just implication of what they can do), and then there are these little gems:

Negative Time Keys - Our latest advances in encryption exploit recently discovered quirks of physics to require inputting a specialized key before it has been generated.

Quasi-Dimensional Reflection - Our operatives can access data from adjacent realities without risking setting off alarms in this reality.

That's right, Stellaris empires have both limited time travel and dimension hopping, and they use it for hacking.

 

[Sonic4EverShadow]

People downplay how scary an end-game Stellaris empire can be, Disruptors for example are a watered-down version of a Necron Gauss Weapon, there are also Antimatter missiles, Dark Matter deflector shields, and many others. And that is just weaponry.

Zero Point and Dark Matter Power, Nanites deployed in industry and for self-repairing of ships, Hard-Light Holographic casts used in industry, the super hard metal that is neutronium (which is not even the best armor in the game), and all the megastructures (Sentry Arrays are broken by just implication of what they can do), and then there are these little gems:

Negative Time Keys - Our latest advances in encryption exploit recently discovered quirks of physics to require inputting a specialized key before it has been generated.

Quasi-Dimensional Reflection - Our operatives can access data from adjacent realities without risking setting off alarms in this reality.

That's right, Stellaris empires have both limited time travel and dimension hopping, and they use it for hacking.

Click to shrink...

Yeah and Matter Replicator who can give them INFINITE amount of raw resources, Robots armies, Better Gene Soldiers armies, stable Psionics armies, Planetary shields who can literally protect a planet from an Exterminatus very easily and a LOT of other stuff who even I don't remember XD

 

[RandomDwarf]

Let's not forget PSIONIC AVATARS and the real end-game crisis which is the entity you make a deal with for a ridiculous amount of power for 50 years and then get utterly fucked as you spawn a LITTERAL end of the cycle…which is basically in cannon NEXUSOFMADNESS aka the trye primordial chaos itself, aka the big bad cheese of 40k…

And you spawn a god emperor to fight it ir reclaim the galaxy.

Otherwise there is becoming the end game crisis which is sacrifice a entire galaxy, turn all stars into black holes, strip all life from it, and then have your species become akin to the old ones or beyond that level.

It's fucking horrific if you think about it.

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

Otherwise there is becoming the end game crisis which is sacrifice a entire galaxy, turn all stars into black holes, strip all life from it, and then have your species become akin to the old ones or beyond that level.

Click to shrink...

And to do that you have to fight the entire galaxy plus the stand-ins of the chaos gods, no really you are bombarded by Unbidden armies and end-of-the-cycle-like enemies that will try to stop you by any means necessary.

And you spawn a god emperor to fight it ir reclaim the galaxy.

Click to shrink...

If you manage to survive both it and the galaxy that hates you at least.

 

[RandomDwarf]

Yeah, and it's amazing that some players even manage to do that shit too…so that makes the stellar devourers more horrific then ever if they get mega structures up, because with fleet command, unlimited resources, and the sentry tower? Never mind dryson spheres and the research mega structures? Horrific if you think about it.

Add in the Titian ships and colossus type super ships? Very much horrifying…

 

[Alucard Vampiry]

The Stellar Devourers (Sidereum Devorator)
- Place of Origin: Unknown (Theories point to the Halo Stars as a possible point of origin)
- Capital: Unknown (Irreverent thanks to the Xeno species' own nature)
- Dietary Needs: Any Organic Lifeform or Object
- Leadership: Hive Mind (Similar to the Tyranid's the Terminus Swarm is guided by a Hive Mind)
- Technological Level: Advanced (Examples of biomechanical weapons, starships, and war-beasts, among other examples of advanced biomechanical technology such as the Sun Eaters, show that the Terminus Swarm has a significant edge against the Imperium in terms of overall technology)
- Size: Multi-Sector (Owns significant chunks of Obscurus but its expansion seems to be proverbial to its current dietary needs as the swarm population continues to grow, and it has faced significant resistance by Heretic, Xenos, and Imperial forces)
- Demographic: Caste-Based Xenos Species (Similar to Tau the Stellar Devourers divides itself into many castes of strains, as each one serves entirely different functions, but different from the Tau all castes look enormously different from one another down to their DNA)
- Military Force: Unknown (The total amount of forces that the Stellar Devourers has available is unknown, but reports of battles paint a picture that shows that it is worrying)
- Threat Level: Xeno-Horrificus (The capability to expand quickly into new worlds, replicate themselves in vast quantities in quick time, dangerous Macro-Beasts and biomechanical nature makes the Stellar Devourers a formidable threat that needs to be exterminated before it grows beyond any type of control)
- Date of Codex Creation: [REDACTED]
- Creator: [REDACTED]


History

It is unknown where exactly the Terminus Swarm first appeared, even if it had encountered Imperial Forces before if it did however it is likely that all were either exterminated or sent into one of the swarm's Farm Worlds to live as a source of food for the Xenos.

Anyhow, the first official contact the Imperium had was in the world of Prismard IX, where the swarm arrived in system space and faced off against a heretic armada, while the conclusion of the confront was not clear reports of Imperial citizens and offices cite that after only a few hours after the swarm fleet had entered system space, the heretic armada had retreated.

The wreckage seen by the retribution fleet of Lord Admiral Barrovan Von Ryke shows that did so after suffering horrendous losses. The engagement against the Xenos fleet led by the Lord Admiral had great results thanks to the circumstances, while they did not manage to defeat the Xenos armada as they were heavily outnumbered, they managed to evacuate not only officials but also important data located in Prismard, thought they could only save a few million of the population of the world, as transporting all of the citizens was impossible to even with several space-capable ships provided by the government of Prismard for evacuation.

While many ships were lost (especially to the Mass Accelerator Mega-Cannon present in the Battleship of the Xenos armada) the most important vessels such as the Cruisers all the way to the Battleship were kept relatively intact and did not need to expend years in extensive repairs made to them.

This conflict undoubtedly made it so that the Imperium would be ready for the Xenos when they attacked again. But it was on 997.M49 that proved that the Xenos had more than they presented and also where the Xenos got their official designation. A Mechanicus flee that was sending resources to a research installation discovered something monumentally horrific.

In the system's star defended by a military fleet was a gigantic creature closely resembling a species of parasites found in house pets such as dogs, feeding on the star. The ramifications of this act cannot be overstated enough and the threat that it represents is extremely concerning. Of the Mechanicus fleet that made this discovery only a few managed to escape as the Xenos not only already knew where they would come from and so had been in the right position to destroy the vessels.

Or so their alien minds thought, 3 of the 20 vessels numbered cargo fleet had managed to escape, although with one of them did not return from the emergency warp jump it had initiated as of yet, likely meaning that both the ship and its crew did not survive the travel back to their Forge World.

Anyhow, the ones that did return immediately warned their world's leadership and through them the rest of the Imperium. Pictures taken from the conflict show that the vessels that attacked them closely resemble the ones that attacked Prismard IX. And so, their threat level was raised by the members of the Ordo Xenos to Xeno-Horrificus and the name Stellar Devourer (Sidereum Devorator in High Gothic).

Biology

To understand the biology of the Stellar Devourers one must understand that not only are the members of each caste wildly different from another (with even sub-caste strains being different from one another) that their bodies are both organic and machine-like. With multiple organs dedicated to tasks that serve their castes.

Extreme adaption to new environments for better survivability, durable carapaces or surface skin capable of resisting even heavy weaponry in the most extreme cases, musculature that endures much more stress with cases of even basic warrior caste specimens hurling grown men as far 40 feet with a single attack, to changes in both the brain and the nervous system allowing to not only think faster but react as well, among many other changes done in all parts of their bodies.

Comparing to the Tyranids is wrong, even if they have many similarities, for one there have been reports of worlds belonging to the Stellar Devourers that had continent-sized farms and cages where food was produced either from simple plantations or raising other species as cattle. This proves that the Hive Mind that leads the Stellar Devourers is smart enough to know that there is not enough food in the form of other species in the galaxy to feed itself and so it is seeking an alternative food source, something that the Tyranids themselves have never considered.

There is also their biomechanical nature, where machinery is coupled with organic matter in an efficient method that shows no cases of rejection. And allows them greater theoretical capabilities than the Tyranids.

But one of the things that they have in common is their ability to not only gain genetic data of their fallen enemies but use it to create new types of species to use in their army, one such example is the Angeli Comedentis Species Strain (The Angel's Eater) that has likely chances of having being created from the corpse of an Astartes.

There is also of course their biomechanical nature to take into account which means that there is a chance that the Stellar Devourers could 'infect' enemy technology as a sort of virus and take over their systems. This has yet to be fully proven but digital defense protocols are recommended to be used wherever confrontation is needed.

Technology

The technology of the Stellar Devourers is a combination of both organic and material components in an alien form of symbiosis. Creating amalgamations of flesh and steel that all serve different purposes and can be quickly changed for another purpose or recycled for parts.

All manner of weapons or structures are in fact living organisms with internal and external organs composed of both types of machinery, with weapons being bound to their wearers, and structures being controlled by intelligence centered in a gigantic net of neurons deep within the facilities that themselves are controlled by an even greater set of mega-neurons that administer the local world that it is located.

But there are also applications of warp-based technologies in the Stellar Devourer technological base, from war beasts, to ship-grade weapons. Especially worrying are the macro-scale Gateways that can serve as a form of faster transportation in the warp to any system that has one. The destruction of these Gateways is extremely important, as it would allow for quick movements for the Xenos across their territory and any section of space in which they build one.