Three days later.
Abaddon stood on the bridge of the *Vengeful Soul*, gazing upon the leaders of allied fleets assembled in the star system before him. All ships had arrived through rifts in the warp—Typhus' Plague Fleet, the Red Corsairs dispatched by Huron, and the *Conqueror*, flagship of the Oathbreaker Sorax. In total, nine battleships and two hundred other warships, along with two ominous Blackstone Fortresses, now filled the system.
What a formidable spectacle...
The allied fleet began their assault on every world in the system except the fortress world, waiting only for the Blackstone Fortresses to shatter Cadia's shields and deal the final blow to annihilate the planet. Victory was almost inevitable. The pressing matter now was balancing the interests of each allied faction.
"After Cadia's destruction, you must aid me in the assault on the Agripinaa Forge World—I still have warriors there, fighting a guerrilla war," Sorax demanded bluntly.
Abaddon's expression darkened. Sorax was supposed to bring his fleet, yet he had come with only the *Conqueror*. And now he dared ask the Black Legion for support?
"Consider it done," Abaddon replied, fixing his gaze seriously upon Sorax, nodding slightly. "Rest assured, I will assist you."
Sorax seemed satisfied and nodded.
Abaddon then turned to Typhus, who also put forth his request. "Aid me in invading the Sector Ultima."
"Agreed," Abaddon answered with a nod.
Finally, he looked toward the leader of the Red Corsairs—though it was not Huron himself, a former Captain of the Astral Claws stood as his representative.
"I need your help in seizing a few Talon Navy ships," the Captain requested.
"Of course," Abaddon answered without hesitation.
Of the three requests, Abaddon was most inclined to agree with the Red Corsairs, for they had contributed greatly. Initially unwilling to join the war, they had not only deployed their fleet but had also brought along one of the gifted Blackstone Fortresses. Besides, after the destruction of Cadia, they would need to pay the price for the Dark Gods' blessings, which would mean marching northward into the Talon Sector. In this, the Black Legion's aims aligned closely with those of the Red Corsairs.
"I will fulfill each of your requests," Abaddon stated, "but bear in mind, I do not rely solely on your support. Every fleet you brought to this system came unbidden, arriving only after the ritual concluded."
These words sparked a flash of resentment in Sorax's eyes. Although a man who could still calculate rationally despite his Butcher's Nails, he couldn't help the surge of anger—briefly imagining cleaving Abaddon down himself. Yet reason prevailed; the outcome was uncertain. He let it go.
"Fear not," Abaddon added, striding towards the window. "This will not be our last alliance."
He turned, gesturing toward the view beyond the windows. "Now, let us witness the glorious destruction of Cadia."
The two Blackstone Fortresses loomed, battering Cadia with relentless fire. Its planetary shields had already fallen; another volley from either fortress would soon reduce the world to rubble. Abaddon watched as the Blackstone Fortresses charged.
The twin eight-pointed star structures rotated, gathering intense warp energy that distorted space around them. The rift near Mandeville's Point was amplifying warp reactions within the system, enabling the fortresses to release even more powerful attacks.
"It's fully charged," Abaddon murmured to himself, envisioning the surge of destructive energy that would soon engulf Cadia. But his fantasy shattered as the charged energy suddenly dissipated outward, and the warp rifts within the system began to shrink.
Typhus lowered his swollen form, glancing at his hands; his body suddenly felt more fragile. Sorax recalled a similar occurrence in the Agripinaa system—*It's coming*…
"The planet approaches!" Sorax muttered before vanishing from the bridge in a flash.
Abaddon turned back to the view, witnessing a massive rift open near the star's orbit. Emerging from it were three massive, dark spheres. Resembling planets, these metal constructs rotated in place, ringed with weapon arrays as they edged into the system, trapping the Blackstone Fortresses between themselves and Cadia.
"Prepare for battle," Abaddon shouted.
The command was intended both for his officers and for Typhus. If they had been solely a fleet of warships, he might have ordered a retreat. But with the two Blackstone Fortresses at hand, a path of escape remained if needed, as the system's warp rifts had not fully closed. Typhus and the Captain of the Red Corsairs seemed equally determined to engage.
As Abaddon issued orders to reestablish contact with Sorax and unite their ships, he discovered the *Conqueror* was already slipping through a warp rift. Half within and half outside of reality, Sorax's ship was retreating.
"Damn him," Abaddon cursed as he began drafting the strategy.
Typhus, meanwhile, had also departed to the *Terminus Est*, coordinating his fleet for the battle that loomed.
...
The Celestial Engine refrained from immediately firing, as a more critical task awaited. Swarms of torpedoes fired from its twin satellites—billions of projectiles that arced through space, bypassing the Blackstone Fortresses and descending toward Cadia. Entering the atmosphere, the torpedoes disassembled, scattering transmitters across the surface.
The Celestial Engine itself acted as a colossal beacon, relaying the coordinates to the Talon Navy. Over two hundred warp rifts erupted around the Celestial Engine, each one ushering forth another warship into the system.