The newly built Lupercal Council Chamber aboard the Vengeful Spirit, designed by architect Peter Egon Momus, was a hall of exquisite craftsmanship.
Banners from various companies hung from the sides, but there were new elements that no Son of Horus could identify: A throne built of skulls, backed by a bronze tower rising from a sea of blood.
A black eight-pointed star against a pale sky.
Since its completion, the Lupercal Council Chamber had entirely replaced the old strategium.
Horus sat upon a basalt throne. He had not summoned the Mournival, but his other advisors.
His grand plan was not yet ready for the remaining three Mournival members to know.
Maloghurst, his Equerry, held a datapad. "Warmaster, word has arrived from Beta-Garmon."
"Your appointed commander and emissary, Boros Kurn, has personally delivered your letter to Russ."
"What did he say?" Horus asked.
"The Magi and lords of Beta-Garmon, acting on your orders, allowed the Wolves unrestricted access to their armories."
"The Wolves have transferred enough phosphex weaponry aboard their ships to conduct a cleansing campaign across an entire system. They have also taken various Exterminatus weapons, including four virus bombs."
"That is enough to prove that Russ has formulated an entirely new plan."
Horus nodded, satisfied. "How many of his wolves?"
"To withdraw from the Cepra campaign zone as quickly as possible, Russ led the 1st and 7th Great Companies in a decisive battle against the Askaric xenos. At least five thousand of the twenty thousand warriors fell and nearly all the survivors were wounded.."
"After returning to Fenris, he gathered the 4th, 5th, 8th, and 12th Great Companies, along with some packs from the 2nd and 13th Great Companies, totaling fifty thousand."
"The 3rd, 9th, and 11th Great Companies are en route to Beta-Garmon."
"The punitive fleet assembled by Valdor is also on its way and is expected to arrive in one standard month."
Erebus looked up at the banner bearing the eight-pointed star. "The Wolves will destroy Prospero. The False Emperor will lose one of his greatest weapons against us, the psychic might of the Thousand Sons."
'The Shadows of Order is a greater threat.' Horus thought, but did not interrupt his advisor.
"The Wolves will pay a price as well."
After Erebus's fervent speech, Maloghurst continued.
"Sanguinius, after speaking with you, has assembled his Legion and is heading for Signus."
Horus listened silently. He knew his closest friend and brother's unwavering loyalty to the Emperor.
He had used the dark secret of the Blood Angels, discovered during their cleansing of the Nephilim on Melchior Prime.
He had told his friend that Nephilim survivors still lived, on Signus, and that they were the Blood Angels' only hope against the Red Thirst.
Horus glanced at the skull banner. It was a trap. His Warp-allies were already waiting on Signus to ensnare his brother.
He hoped the servants of the Blood God would succeed, and bring Sanguinius to his side.
Maloghurst continued. "Jaghatai Khan has assembled his Legion and is heading for Chondax, to purge the remnants of Urlakk Urg's Ork empire."
Horus's eyes grew deep, lost in memory.
The Triumph of Ullanor was his greatest achievement, and a key factor in his appointment as Warmaster.
'I am about to achieve an even greater victory. Nareth, Father, you will both be defeated by me.'
Chondax was only a few Warp jumps from Ullanor, but far from the main Warp routes.
Horus knew that if he openly shared his grand plan with Jaghatai, the stubborn Khan would openly oppose him. To win him over, a suitable trap was needed.
When he had met with Jaghatai, he had sensed his discomfort with the increasingly rigid and bureaucratic nature of the Crusade.
The White Scars needed to escape the scrutiny of Terra and the Remembrancers.
Cleansing the Ork remnants on Chondax would satisfy their nomadic nature.
He had another trap prepared on Chondax, one that Omegon would spring at the right time.
"We have three powerful enemies remaining: Nareth, the Lion, and Guilliman. All have Legions of over two hundred thousand." Erebus's tone carried a noticeable weight on the last word.
"The messengers of the Gods whisper in my ear: Ardium will be Guilliman's grave."
Horus nodded. "I will order him to gather at Andemar and join the Word Bearers in purging the Ork empire of Gaslakh."
"Prantium is suffering from a Hrud migration. Tell the Lion his task is to cleanse the xenos."
Maloghurst thought for a few seconds, then praised the plan. "TThe Lion has always prided himself on being an exterminator of xenos. He will gladly accept this command."
"The Hrud cost the Shadows of Order eighty thousand casualties. The Dark Angels will suffer terribly as well."
"Prantium lies far away on the galactic western edge. By the time the Lion returns, the war will already be won."
Now, only one major problem remained, Nareth.
The Shadows of Order might number more than two hundred and thirty thousand. Just as Nareth had concealed his domains, he might have concealed his sons.
Horus had suspected this ever since Erebus had shown him the vision of the false "Terra" in the Serpent's Coil on Davin.
Maloghurst frowned. "It is quite possible."
"I just finished reading Nareth's biography. Compared to the War Council records, I noticed many gaps. Like the Lion and Omegon, he has many secrets."
"I believe his Legion's size is around two hundred and fifty thousand."
"No." Horus shook his head. "Don't forget, the Shadows of Order has always been the largest Legion."
"In 899, they numbered nearly two hundred and eighty thousand. And they absorbed warriors from that other Legion."
"What if their casualties weren't as high as reported?"
The light gleamed on his bald head. "The Shadows of Order may have three hundred thousand warriors."
"Three hundred thousand?" Maloghurst exclaimed. "They fought so many brutal wars: the Rangdan, the Hrud, the..."
"Surely it cannot be that many."
"Even if he does, there is no need for concern. I have prepared a series of baits. He will walk into trap after trap." Horus, seeing his two advisors had no plan, revealed his own.
"Nareth will not lead his entire force to war. He has territories scattered across the galaxy that need garrisons."
"Even if he has three hundred thousand, the forces he can actually deploy are limited. He has only one Chapter at the Kalium Gate. He cannot reinforce all his domains."
He smiled confidently. "Order Nareth to attack the Gordian League, which is resisting compliance."
Maloghurst's eyes lit up. "On the galactic eastern edge. Even if he wins, he won't be able to return in time."
"No. Nareth is not so easily dealt with. I have a second bait."
"Diamat."
Maloghurst recalled Nareth's biography. "Nareth has an unusual desire to control Forge Worlds: Incaladion, Valia-Maximal, Mezoa. He will be unable to resist this lure."
Horus nodded. His traps were not just bait; they also had teeth.
The Alpha Legion, masters of infiltration, had already begun to penetrate Nareth's Legion. Their covert operations would slow him down.
This would also be a test of Omegon's loyalty. He was less trustworthy than his other followers.
Horus did not place all his hopes on Omegon. He had other baits and traps prepared.
After hearing Horus's plan, Maloghurst's shock subsided. He continued his report.
"Following your orders, the accelerated recruits I have raised on Cthonia, the Akum-Sothos Cluster, and other worlds have begun to be integrated into the Legion."
"The grants of authority you issued to five Knight houses, including House O'Reilly, have won their loyalty. To repay your favor in freeing them from the Imperium's suspicions, they have sworn fealty to our representatives."
Horus was taken aback, momentarily lost in thought.
He had established trade routes, forged alliances and agreements.
He recalled secretly stockpiling arms and resources, giving preferential treatment to loyal commanders.
He had thought these were simply measures to smooth the Great Crusade's progress, to reward those who fought in his name.
He had sent less loyal units to the bloodiest warzones.
He realized his ambition had already sown seeds that would not arouse suspicion, nor germinate quickly.
Now, those seeds were sprouting.
Horus looked at the holographic display, the dark patches of territory, finally settling on the Coronid New Zone in the galactic northeast.
"Nareth, even if you have three hundred thousand warriors, you are just a stepping stone on my path to becoming Master of Mankind."
"I will seize your largest territory. One Chapter of yours could never stop the advance of my armies.?"
"And that territory will become the foundation of my great undertaking."
....
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