The Space Wolves were loath to remain on Dulan, and the subsequent "Lion and the Wolf" duel occurred regardless. However, after being struck unconscious by yet another sneak attack, the Dark Angels did not retreat; instead, they allowed Leman Russ's Space Wolves to depart.
Everyone had their secrets. The Wulfen curse of the Space Wolves meant they could not linger long under the scrutiny of the Dark Angels, while the First Legion remained behind to investigate the mysterious meteorite pulsing with strange, potent psychic energy.
Such was the duty of the First Legion. They were the keepers of too many secrets, and this particular mystery would undoubtedly fall under their eternal vigil.
"This isn't over. Next time, we finish this!" Leman Russ growled, rubbing his eyes, still aching after three days of unconsciousness, as he spoke to the Lion before returning to his fleet.
Lion El'Jonson remained indifferent. He had little desire for further discourse with his savage brother; should Russ wish to fight again, the Lion would show no more mercy than before.
"Begone..." was the Lion's only reply.
The Wolf King nearly lunged at him again in a fit of pique, but Russ was no mindless brute. Recognizing that the Lion had kept the secret of the Wulfen, he bit back his rage, offered a "friendly" middle finger, and departed with his Legion.
As his brother vanished into the void, the Dark Angels immediately began a systematic, visceral search of the shattered world of Dulan.
This was the domain of the so-called Tyrant of Dulan. Its once-prosperous cities, technological marvels, and cultural heritage, which had endured the long horrors of the Old Night, were now being systematically stripped by the Imperium. Ordered civilizations were dismantled to make way for the burgeoning foundations of Hive Cities.
The Great Crusade demanded the resources of every world to fuel its relentless advance. Order was shattered in favor of the most draconian forms of governance, instantly providing the Warp with a torrential surge of raw emotion and energy.
From within the Immaterium, Lucius observed that without the Emperor, the Chaos Gods would never have achieved such terrifying potency. He could feel the despair, betrayal, and malice erupting like volcanic plumes from every city under Imperial occupation.
These emotions likewise fed the burgeoning power of the Great Horned Rat.
Lucius found the Emperor's logic utterly incomprehensible. The Dulan Empire, once a formidable pocket-empire, had been reduced to ruins in a matter of days. Even if the Emperor's Webway Project succeeded, restoring order to these worlds would likely take tens of millennia.
And that assumed the Ruinous Powers would stand idly by, which they certainly would not. Knowing the Emperor understood this yet proceeded regardless, Lucius could only conclude that the "Golden Emperor" truly embodied the essence of the Dark King: destruction and death.
However, the Imperium's tyranny over Dulan was soon interrupted by the sudden tearing of a massive Warp Rift.
Normally, even with Aeldari expertise, such a large-scale, pinpoint transition through the Warp, accurate to the exact second and coordinate, would be impossible. But they had the assistance of Lucius.
With the aid of a Chaos God, the Warp became as level ground, provided no other dark powers intervened.
The rift expanded until it eclipsed Dulan's sun, casting the entire world into a sickly gloom.
Lion El'Jonson looked up at the sky. Years of combat instinct screamed of an approaching threat, even though his sensors confirmed no enemies remained save for the scattered remnants of the Dulanian military.
The Lion was never one for complacency. He drew the Lion Sword and fixed his gaze upon the heavens. Sensing their primogenitor's sudden vigilance, the Dark Angels halted their search and the execution of rebels, bringing their weapons to the ready.
Within the Warp Rift, an unprecedented host had gathered. Led by Yvraine of the Ynnari, the Visarch, Eldrad Ulthran, and Lelith Hesperax, the force comprised Asuryani from dozens of Craftworlds, hundreds of Kabals led by the Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue from Commorragh, and Exodites who had flocked to the call.
Even as the Emissary of Ynnead, Yvraine had never commanded such a force, and though the alliance was temporary, she was fraught with tension.
Should this host fail, the recovery of the final Cronesword would be the least of their concerns; the Aeldari would begin their final countdown to extinction, and Yvraine would be remembered as the greatest failure in their long history.
"Sss-hoo!" Yvraine took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Her former mentor, the Visarch, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Nervous? How adorable," Lelith Hesperax chuckled. The Queen of Knives was already bristling with lethal impatience.
Yvraine shook off her doubts and stared down at Dulan. "Strike the Imperial forces with maximum speed. Eldrad, the Seers of Ulthwé must locate Isha immediately. Once the Mother Goddess is found, we retreat at once!"
"For the Aeldari!"
"Execute!"
At Yvraine's command, the disparate Aeldari union poured from the Warp Rift like a torrent of blades.
"Xenos attack! Eldars!" the Dark Angels barked. The Astartes reacted instantly, but the rank-and-file Imperial Army was caught entirely off-guard.
Vast swarms of Raiders and Vyper jetbikes formed mixed squadrons, screaming across the sky to slaughter the Imperial troops before a defensive line could even be conceived.
"Ya-ha-ha-ha!" Kabalite Warriors mounted on Raiders howled with glee. Though they were here for Isha, they relished the exquisite sensation of a perfect ambush.
Splinter Rifles spat toxins from high-speed transports, scything through human infantry. Terrified survivors were snagged by hooks and dragged behind the craft as living shields.
Simultaneously, Splinter Cannons and twin-linked Shuriken Cannons from Hornet scouts pulverized hasty barricades, moving at six hundred kilometers per hour to strike the next target before the dust had settled.
Close behind came the Reaver Jetbikes and Windriders, exploiting the gaps torn in the Imperial line.
Then came the heavy hitters: Wraithknights, Ravagers, and Nightwing fighters. A host of a scale the Lion had never witnessed began to sweep across the battlefield with terrifying precision.
Only the Dark Angels maintained a coherent resistance. However, because they had been dispersed across the planet in their search, the First Legion was scattered. Groups of three to five Astartes found themselves forced to hold against relentless waves of Aeldari strikes.
The Lion raised his bolter, exploding several jetbikes in mid-air, before swinging the Lion Sword in a blur. An Aeldari rider, moving at speeds invisible to the mortal eye, was cleaved perfectly in two.
"Repel the xenos! These cowards appear in force without warning, this world must hold something they covet. Signal the Sixth Legion to return and summon all nearby reinforcements!" the Lion commanded grimly.
Whatever these xenos sought, the Lion would never let them have it.
Swoosh—!
As the mobile elements threw the battlefield into chaos, the main Aeldari infantry arrived. Guardians and Kabalite Warriors laid down a blistering hail of shuriken and splinter fire, pinning the Imperial forces.
The Dark Angels did not flinch. Shouting oaths to Caliban, they raised their storm shields and revved their chainswords, leading the Imperial Army in a counter-charge.
But the Aeldari had anticipated this. Aspect Warriors and Wyches leaped into the fray. Howling Banshees, their masks emitting soul-shredding screams, and Striking Scorpions fell upon the Astartes, initiating a horrific melee of power blades and transhuman fury.
"Quickly, Eldrad! Find Isha's location!"
Despite their initial advantage, Yvraine did not let hubris cloud her mind. She knew her true mission was the recovery of the Goddess.
"I am trying! Do not rush me!" Eldrad snapped. He and ten Farseers of the Ulthwé Council unleashed a massive psychic divination, scouring the patterns of fate for Isha's resonance.
As it turned out, the Great Horned Rat had not lied. They found the trace, but Eldrad's finger pointed directly toward the Lion's position. "There! Right where the Primarch stands!"
"What?" Yvraine gasped, her brow furrowing. She had no desire to trade blows with a Primarch. It seemed the Ruinous Powers, even when "helping," demanded a bloody spectacle for their amusement.
Persuading a Primarch to step aside was a fool's errand. Yvraine gritted her teeth. "Then we must drive him back. Be careful."
Lelith laughed, her eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. "I've been wanting to try... let's see if a Primarch lives up to the legend. Don't disappoint me!"
Nearby, a silent Incubi adjusted his Klaive, his cold gaze fixed firmly on the Lion.
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