Booming engine sounds echoed across the Upper Hive as colossal gears turned, raising the immense mechanical gates.
For the first time in five years, the Upper Hive's gates opened wide, signaling its official reclamation.
Heavy footsteps reverberated as hundreds of armed Sentinel Walkers marched out, flanked by armored vehicles, mobile artillery, and energy cannons.
The full might of the Court's forces surged forward, joined by Ecclesiarchy priests, Mechanicus tech-priests, and engineers.
Their destination? The Lower Hive, where the final phase of reclaiming the Hive City was about to commence.
...
Lower Hive: Former Genestealer Chapel
The grand cathedral that once served as the core of the Genestealer cult's faith now lay cleansed of their presence.
It had become Eden's temporary headquarters, where he and the Court's leadership regrouped.
The recent decapitation strike had been a resounding success, with most of the participants surviving the harrowing mission.
Seated at his desk, Eden reviewed reports detailing the sheer scale of the Genestealers and their hybrid followers.
Now under his control through the Hive Network, these former enemies would be vital for the next phase of the campaign.
Population Analysis:
Purestrain Genestealers (First & Second Generation): ~5 million
Hybrids: ~10 million
Human Cultists: ~300 million
Recognizing the importance of maintaining order, Eden had separated the human cultists from the Hive Network, allowing them to return to a semblance of normalcy.
Bishop Doni eagerly took charge of reeducating these lost souls, destroying every Genestealer idol and replacing them with statues of the God-Emperor.
"Total faith in the Emperor will lead them back to the right path!" Doni proclaimed, exuding pious fervor.
Despite his zeal, Eden dismissed Doni's request to convert the alien Genestealers.
"Focus on the cultists first," Eden replied firmly. "If you can bring them back, then we'll discuss the rest."
With a newfound purpose, Doni set to work, convinced that no soul—human or alien—was beyond salvation.
Meanwhile, the recapture of the Lower Hive was proceeding smoothly, with Defense Forces and Arbites securing key zones.
However, with manpower stretched thin, Eden delegated administrative duties to Bayev, the Court's trusted steward.
This allowed Eden to focus entirely on military operations, specifically the eradication of the Chaos cults.
The largest remaining threat in the Lower Hive was the Blood Red Skulls, a Chaos cult devoted to Khorne.
True to their god's nature, the cult was a relentless, bloodthirsty force that thrived on slaughter—even turning on one another in fits of madness.
Their infighting, however, had prevented them from expanding further into Genestealer-controlled territory.
"Just another problem to solve," Eden muttered, studying the intelligence reports.
Among their forces were horrifying Khorne Beasts, massive war creatures born from blood rituals.
Defeating them would require an innovative approach.
Enter: Armored Genestealers
To counter the Blood Red Skulls, Eden devised a bold plan: weaponizing the Genestealers.
Two million of the strongest Purestrain Genestealers were selected for a radical transformation.
Equipped with spiked steel armor, flamethrowers, and high-yield explosives, these "Armored Genestealers" would serve as a devastating shock force.
Eden enlisted Mechanicus Archmagos Kaul to oversee the modifications.
Kaul, known for his unorthodox inventions, was thrilled by the challenge.
Finally, he had the opportunity to test his most dangerous creations, previously dismissed as impractical for human use.
These innovations were now perfect for Genestealer deployment.
Within weeks, the hive's factories roared to life, producing an arsenal of weapons and armor.
The modified Genestealers gleamed with crimson mechanical lights, their enhanced forms exuding an aura of terror.
Eden inspected the results and nodded in approval.
"Excellent. Let's show these heretics what true terror looks like."
...
Blood Red Skulls Territory
In the heart of the Blood Red Skulls' domain, a chaotic ritual was underway.
Cultists adorned with blood-soaked bones and flayed skins surrounded a grotesque mountain of corpses, chanting war cries as they fought each other to the death.
The survivors of these brutal duels stood victorious, their bodies drenched in gore as they prepared for the next stage of the ritual.
From the blood-soaked corpse pile, a monstrous Khorne Beast emerged, its claws glinting with raw power.
The cultists cheered madly.
"Praise the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!"
Suddenly, a strange mechanical projectile shot through the air, embedding itself in the beast's chest.
It was a heavily armed Genestealer, its drill-like limbs burrowing into the creature's flesh.
The cultists froze in shock, watching as the Genestealer disappeared into the beast's torso.
Moments later, the Khorne Beast roared in pain, its body convulsing violently.
BOOM!
The beast exploded into a cloud of gore and shrapnel, silencing the cultists' cheers.
Before the Blood Red Skulls could recover, the Armored Genestealers surged forward, tearing through the stunned cultists with merciless efficiency.
"Praise the Blood God!" the cultists cried as they fought back desperately.
But against the relentless onslaught of armored monstrosities, even their fervor began to waver.
From a vantage point, Eden observed the battle with satisfaction.
"Let the heretics learn," he muttered, "what it means to face the wrath of the Imperium."
(End of Chapter)
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