Warhammer: The 11th Primarch - The Black Emperor

Aboard the Final Scythe, on the Bridge – Strategic Operations Room

All eleven Company Captains, except for Thomas, were present. At the same time, the Master of Vox transmitted the speech to every ship in the 33rd Expedition Fleet.

"Shadows of Order! Soldiers of the Auxilia! The brutish skulls of these Ogryn cannot comprehend the brilliance of the Imperium."

"Today, we will bring them the light of enlightenment."

Nareth surveyed the Company Captains. He paused, and his tone shifted from fervent to commanding as he made his expectations clear.

"Shadows of Order, you are no longer Reapers. Slaughter is not your purpose."

"In battle, I command you: Do not let bloodlust or rage govern your actions."

"Stay focused. Exploit your gifts. Find the enemy's weakness, and strike with lethal precision."

As he spoke, Nareth carefully observed the reactions of the eleven Captains. The most resistant were Cezak, Samir, and Robin.

Sanchez, who had previously been equally resistant, seemed deep in thought.

Each Captain looked at Nareth with anticipation. All of them hoped to be chosen to fight alongside their gene-father, a rare and immense honor for any Astartes.

Cezak held his head high. As First Captain, he believed this honor was rightfully his.

Under the gaze of expectation, Nareth slowly spoke:

"Adams, your Fourth Company will fight by my side."

Cezak's anger surged. He turned sharply to look at Adams, whose expression remained calm, but the desire in his eyes betrayed his hunger for the same glory.

Yet Adams was the one chosen. Instinctively, Cezak's hand gripped the chainsword at his waist, eyes blazing.

He had been passed over. Denied the glory he felt matched his rank.

Adams, feeling the searing anger directed at him like explosive rounds, remained expressionless, cold as ice.

He stepped forward and slammed his right fist against the Shadows of Order insignia on his chest.

This is how the warriors of the 11th Legion identified themselves, plainly and with purpose.

"Father, I will prove your choice is wise."

Nareth nodded. Among his sons, Adams was the bore the strongest resemblance to him in features and temperament.

He had already spoken with him before, Adams, a man of logic, unswayed by emotion.

Nareth suspected that if Adams hadn't been as ruthlessly cold on the battlefield as he was in demeanor, he likely would have been rejected by the bloodthirsty Reapers

But he'd also discerned one unshakable pillar in his son's icy rationale: absolute obedience to his commands.

He and his company were the perfect choice.

The remaining Captains, quietly disheartened, returned to their ships to begin their respective assault missions.

Nareth boarded a transport ship and landed first on the unnamed grassland world inhabited by Ogryns.

As he stepped out of the ship, his left hand wore the silver gauntlet, now modified, its forearm housing a built-in bolter.

This design was inspired by Guilliman, who also used a power gauntlet, the Hand of Dominion.

At his waist was a power sword, chosen for agility and precision to complement the raw power of his left arm.

Upon landing, Nareth immediately received Horus's transmission with target coordinates, and soon, Adams arrived with 974 warriors.

The Ogryns had no anti-air capability, so the Fourth Company deployed rapidly via transport, rather than orbital drop.

The most eye-catching part of the Fourth Company was their five black-painted Malcador Heavy Tanks, vehicles that had been active on battlefields even before the Unification of Terra.

Unlike the later-standard Predator and Sicaran tanks used during the Great Crusade, these tanks, named after Malcador, the Emperor's most trusted confidant, were common in the early Legiones and Auxilia.

Save for three officer, this was the first time any of the Shadows of Order had laid eyes upon their gene-father.

They looked at him with awe and fervor, and then froze, as if in a dream.

Nareth smiled faintly at their reaction and said:

"My sons, you will grow used to fighting by my side."

"Now, let us begin our conquest."

He took the first step toward the objective.

The Malcador tanks, engines roaring like beasts, rolled forward, flattening the tall grasses in their path.

Adams followed immediately, and the warriors of the Shadows of Order marched after, feeling as if their armor and bodies had become lighter.

Moments later, Nareth stood before a crude stone fortress, assembled from massive rocks.

According to the Augur Matrix, this was the third-largest Ogryn settlement, with a population exceeding 10,000.

Given the Ogryns' massive appetites, establishing a settlement of this size was a feat of its own.

Nareth found himself idly wondering: 'What do they even eat to survive?'

Horus, leading the Luna Wolves, was assigned to attack the second-largest settlement.

According to their plan, once each force completed their assault, they would unite to conquer the largest Ogryn city together.

Nareth opened the company comms and addressed the Fourth Company:

"Before battle begins, I remind you: remain calm, discern the weakness, and strike with lethal precision!"

"Do not disappoint me."

Nareth didn't seize Adams's command; he merely gave a final directive.

The Shadows of Order warriors felt a surge of tension.

Then Adams spoke, already prepared to implement his gene-father's orders:

"All squads, maintain strict formation. Advance in disciplined order."

"Malcador tanks will spearhead the assault. All other squads will support their advance."

His words gave the warriors direction. Under their Captain and lieutenants, the Fourth Company rapidly formed a proper battle line around the tanks.

Nareth nodded with satisfaction. Adams had not let him down; he had set the standard for what it meant to be a Shadow of Order.

Activating his energy field generator, Nareth's power gauntlet lit up with a blinding golden light, drawing the eyes of every soldier.

They saw that, unlike the typical blue shimmer of a standard power field, the gene-father's gauntlet blazed with gold.

All eyes followed him as he surged forward, appearing instantly before the stone wall, and punched.

A golden lightning bolt split the sky.

BOOM!!

A deafening thunderclap shook the open plains, and the entire Ogryn settlement heard it.

Adams watched in awe as his gene-father's single punch cracked the massive wall, then charged through the breach.

Though his face remained stoic, his voice carried a rare, fervent edge.

"For Father!"

And with one voice, the Shadows of Order echoed:

"For Father!"

The drivers of the Malcador tanks roared with adrenaline, their machine spirits howling as they smashed through the stone defenses.

The main guns boomed, firing massive shells that streaked with blinding white light into the Ogryn camp.

The Astartes surged through the breach, battle formation tight and execution flawless.

...

If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.

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