Warhammer: Dawn of Annihilation

"The Raven Guard will stand firmly with you, my lord," Verano replied. "Our purpose is singular: to strangle Chaos and annihilate the alien threats."

"Other than what you've said, I have nothing more to ask of you, Verano," Guilliman responded, a smile crossing his face. "I'm glad to know you will stand by my side."

He then turned his gaze toward the other warriors, each watching him with anticipation.

"The Salamanders have always been mankind's most loyal defenders. Anyone who stands against the enemies of humanity is an ally to us," declared the Salamander. His dark skin and stern face were framed by the green Power Armor he wore. "I will join your cause, provided my presence is not a burden."

"Loyalty is a rare and precious thing, and there is no reason to be selective about it," Guilliman affirmed.

"Space Wolves never miss a battle against Chaos or aliens, Lord Regent," stated the representative of the Space Wolves, his tone resolute, the gleam of his wolf-head ornament reflecting his conviction. "We will be the sharpest sword in your hands."

"I look forward to wielding such a sharp blade in the fight for victory," Guilliman said with a touch of humor, his eyes meeting the Space Wolves' representative.

One by one, the leaders of the various chapters pledged their loyalty to the Regent of the Imperium, committing to his cause in the war to eradicate the forces of Chaos from Ultramar. They vowed to use Ultramar as a staging ground to launch attacks against the rest of the Imperium, seeking to safeguard humanity's empire from total destruction.

With their commitment confirmed, Guilliman instructed them to rest and prepare for the day their fleet would assemble and set off.

A new war loomed on the horizon, where humanity would face Chaos and alien threats with renewed determination.

Once Guilliman had bid farewell to the last of his visitors, he lingered for a moment in the reception hall, lost in thought, before stepping outside. The Honor Guards, clad in their Iron Terminator armor, followed closely behind.

Outside, Calgar and Sicarius awaited him—these were the finest warriors of the Ultramarines, heroes who had shattered countless Chaos and alien invasions.

Calgar saluted. "My lord."

"You don't need to be so formal, Calgar," Guilliman said, shaking his head. "Walk with me to Macragge City. We'll inspect the reconstruction efforts and discuss the future along the way."

A hovercraft soon arrived to transport them. Though a civilian sightseeing craft, it had been hastily modified for military use. Thick steel plates covered its body, and weapon brackets still adorned it, though yet to be removed.

Guilliman paid no heed to the craft's improvised modifications. His concern lay with the state of Macragge City.

The scars of war were glaringly evident. Survivors of the Chaos onslaught worked tirelessly alongside Mechanicus workers to rebuild their homes. Knight Titans, their weapons removed and replaced with construction tools, worked side by side with the people to restore order.

Servitors with six mechanical legs scuttled about, ferrying supplies and repairing crumbling structures. Amid the organized chaos, Macragge showed signs of revival—a city slowly coming back to life.

Yet, not everything was peaceful.

As Guilliman surveyed the city, a sudden explosion shattered the calm. Thunderhawk gunships roared overhead, heading toward the blast site and unleashing a barrage of fire upon the enemy forces responsible.

Calgar explained the situation. "Remnants of the cult, my lord. While the Chaos forces have been defeated, not all traitors have been captured. They hide in the shadows, launching sporadic attacks to disrupt Macragge's reconstruction."

Despite the disturbances, the people's spirits remained high. Their joy stemmed not only from the expulsion of Chaos but also from Guilliman's awakening, which was a beacon of hope in their darkest hours.

Guilliman stood silently on the hovercraft, his gaze sweeping across the city. Memories of his first battle against Chaos replayed in his mind—the scorched ruins, the swamps formed from the remains of the fallen, the wreckage drifting through space—a stark reminder of humanity's relentless struggle.

After the inspection, Guilliman turned to Calgar. "You are my most trusted subordinate, Calgar," he said.

"I am deeply honored, my lord," Calgar replied, his voice filled with pride.

"I have an extremely important task for you," Guilliman continued. "It's hard to imagine anyone but you taking on this responsibility."

Sicarius and Phikris exchanged envious glances, recognizing the immense honor in Guilliman's trust.

"Soon, I will gather our forces for a cleansing war across Ultramar, to purge the remaining enemies from the Five Hundred Worlds. However, Macragge has only just emerged from the fires of war. If Chaos strikes here again, it would deal an unimaginable blow to the morale of the Imperium. I need someone I can trust completely to remain behind and safeguard this world."

Calgar was taken aback. He had expected to lead the vanguard in this new campaign, wielding the might of the Ultramarines as an indomitable blade. Yet, the Primarch had entrusted him with a defensive role.

"My lord, I—" Calgar began, only to be interrupted.

"I know what you're about to say," Guilliman said. "In this chaotic universe, warriors like Celestine and Amaris have led our armies to glorious victories. Yet, they lack the strategic awareness that you possess. I cannot entrust Macragge to anyone else. This world is the key to humanity's salvation. The Mechanicus holds technologies here that could tip the scales of war in our favor. We cannot afford to lose them."

Macragge is not only the capital star, but also the key place for the future salvation of mankind. The Mechanicus holds several crucial technologies in his hands. With my authorization, he is attempting to promote them. That will be enough to determine the balance of the future battlefield, Calgar. Once there is a problem, all efforts will be in vain."

The various technologies in Kaul's hands are very important; they can effectively enhance the military power of the human empire, sweep away the past decadence, and have the power to confront demons and traitors head-on.

It is the best choice for Calgar to stay in Macragge to guard the home front.

"I will live up to your expectations." Calgar could only nod and obey when he heard this.

He was also a little disappointed in his heart. He had won countless honors for the Empire and the Ultramarines, but now he was excluded from the unyielding battle led by the Primarch.

Guilliman seemed to see through his heart and continued: "You can also prepare a suitable army during this period. When the entire territory of Ultramar is secured and Macragge is no longer a threat, you will command this army. You will become the vanguard, taking the lead in participating in the Indomitable Crusade. You will open up the situation for the follow-up troops, and go to all parts of the empire to defeat Chaos and aliens. You don't want to see a Primarch without even a Guards Chapter, reduced to relying on other troops."

"My lord, do you mean that I can build an army?"

"Yes, Calgar, a brand-new army, brand-new soldiers, ships, and ideas. This expedition is not only about driving out Chaos and sweeping away the enemies, but also about cleaning up the empire's ills. The people who reform the parliament will accompany you, spreading the new imperial ideas and systems to various places, urging local reforms, and when necessary, those stubborn conservatives can be dealt with as enemies."

Guilliman said in a deep voice, "I can't leave this matter to others, Calgar.

"I will do my best to fulfill it, my lord." Calgar's tone swept away the disappointment from earlier, and Guilliman's trust brought joy to his face.

"Don't let me down, Calgar," Guilliman said in a deep voice. "You are not only guarding Macragge, but also the future of mankind. Any mistake will be the greatest betrayal and harm to humanity."

"I understand, my lord. You will not be disappointed."

For the rest of the day, Guilliman received visitors from all sides, listened to their thoughts and opinions, and made his decisions.

A week later, an army composed of the Imperial Navy, Skitarii, Battle Sisters, Knight Households, Titan Legions, the Inquisition, and other forces was assembled by Guilliman.

The problem of Ultramar must be resolved as soon as possible, and then we can move our troops to all parts of space, wipe out the forces of Chaos, quell the rebellion, and reshape the human empire.

Standing on the bridge of the Queen of Honor-class battleship Macragge's Glory, Guilliman switched on the communication channels of the entire army.

His voice resounded through every battleship and echoed in everyone's ears.

"It's a pleasure to fight side by side with you, my brothers and sisters. The gods of Chaos thought that we humans would become their playthings, but they will never succeed. They destroyed our homeland and hunted our brothers and sisters, but wanted us to submit to their dark and terrifying rule—that can only be wishful thinking. From today, humanity will fully fight back against those damned Chaos and aliens, and we will show them with the sharp sword in our hands that humanity will never give in."

Guilliman raised his voice, shaking everyone's heart like rumbling thunder, resounding in every corner.

"Mankind will never yield. Long live mankind! Long live the Emperor!"

Accompanied by Guilliman's roar, the crew on the ship, soldiers, knights, space fighters, judges, and believers all let out deafening cheers. They responded to Guilliman with fanatical gestures.

"Mankind will never yield. Long live mankind! Long live the Emperor!"

"Mankind will never yield. Long live mankind! Long live the Emperor!"

"Mankind will never yield. Long live mankind! Long live the Emperor!"

Everyone was a madman, with red faces, shouting frantically.

Even the surface of Macragge echoed with cheers, as everyone shouted the same slogan.

Their emotional fluctuations merged together, forming a powerful spiritual flow in the subspace near Macragge. It ruthlessly bombarded the raging subspace storm, causing it to collapse and catching the gods' sideways glance.

Amarich, Celestine, and the others felt all of this, and their hearts were like stormy waves, struggling to remain calm.

With such a leader, how could the empire fail?

Calgar stood on the surface, looking up at the sky. Around him, countless people were shouting along with his genetic father. What terrifying charm and appeal.

"Set sail! Let us sound the horn of death for the enemies of the empire. This time, we fight for the empire, we fight for mankind, and we fight for the holy emperor."

Guilliman's roar became more and more passionate, inspiring everyone and filling them with infinite power in their hearts.

Accompanied by cheers, warships set sail one after another, tearing open the fabric of reality, and entering the subspace.

The flames of war were reignited, and humanity would never succumb to that terrible dark fate.

Even if they draw their swords and wage war against the gods themselves, countless heroes of the empire stand fearless, unwavering in their resolve.