CHAPTER 105 — THE TITAN STIRS
The shift was instant.
No warning.
No sound.
No buildup.
One moment the Tyranid swarm outside the Titan hangar was the same relentless tide they had been fighting for hours, predictable, coordinated, endless.
The next moment
Every Tyranid in orbit and on the surface screamed.
A raw psychic spike tore through the atmosphere, sharp enough that even the untrained could feel it. A pressure, like invisible claws scraping across the inside of the skull.
Titus flinched.
Metaurus growled.
the Bladeguards stiffened, helmets tilting as they felt that haunting mental shiver.
Gaius didn't move.
But he felt it too, the Hive Fleet, vast and hungry, shifting its will.
Above the planet, something massive repositioned itself.
The psychic weight thickened.
The Hive Mind of the Splinter Fleet of the Kraken Hive Fleet had become Desperate.
It had sensed what was coming.
Reinforcements.
And now
It demanded the Titan's destruction at any cost; otherwise, the biomass the Tyranids were using to consume the planet would far exceed what they could gain.
As if responding to a silent command, the Tyranids outside the hangar turned feral. They slammed into the sealed gate with reckless force, claws shrieking against ceramite.
Another wave hurled themselves at the side walls.
Another toward the ventilation shafts.
Another toward the ceilings far above.
Every angle.
Every weak point.
Every possible breach.
The swarm would force its way in, even if it broke itself trying.
The Marines tightened formation.
Titus raised his Chainsword.
Metaurus lowered himself into a deeper stance, gripping his double-bit axe and readying for the fight.
The Bladeguard raised their swords and bolters, preparing to fight once more.
The air itself vibrated from the sheer number of creatures throwing themselves at the hangar structure.
And then
A new sound joined the chaos.
A sizzling hiss.
Soft at first.
Then louder.
Hotter.
Gaius looked up.
The ceiling glowed red.
"Ceiling breach!" Titus barked.
It wasn't just cracking, it was melting.
The steel overhead sagged, glowing bright like molten glass.
The temperature rose sharply.
Beads of liquefied metal dripped down, splattering across the floor in smoking droplets.
Then
The ceiling gave way in three places at once.
A roar of heat and dust exploded downward as massive holes tore open.
Through them
The Tyranids fell.
Dozens at first.
Then hundreds.
Gaunts poured down like a living waterfall, screeching as they hit the ground and scrambled forward.
Warriors crashed down next, their heavier frames bending metal grates on impact.
Then the shadow blotted out the lights.
A Carnifex dropped from the ceiling like a meteor, smashing into the floor so hard the entire hangar shook.
Dust blasted outward.
Its massive roar shook the air.
And the swarm didn't stop coming.
"Form on me!" Gaius commanded.
The Marines closed in around him instantly.
But the Tyranids were already surrounding them, front, flanks, and now the entire upper levels.
"Fall back!" Gaius ordered.
Titus and the Bladeguard began the retreat, shields up and overlapping, pushing backward toward the massive inner gate that sealed off the Titan's sanctum.
The swarm closed the distance fast.
A Gaunt leapt from above, landing on a Bladeguard's shield and clawing wildly.
Metaurus smashed it off with a clean shoulder strike.
Warriors charged in, scything blades slicing sparks off ceramite.
Titus blocked one blow, then another, but he grunted as acid splashed against his pauldron, eating through the paint.
Armor cracked.
Shields shook.
The line staggered.
The Carnifex barreled forward, too large to slip between the Marines, but strong enough to shove them off balance just by sheer mass.
As they moved deeper into the hangar, the area above them widened, making it easier for Tyranids to drop directly on top of them.
The situation was degrading fast.
Gaius saw what the others didn't say aloud:
The squad would break before the swarm did.
A Gaunt dropped straight toward him.
He didn't even look.
His fist shot up and hit the creature mid-air.
It exploded like a rotten fruit, splattering against the wall.
Another leapt.
He turned his shoulder and shattered it with the impact.
Then he planted his feet.
And slammed his warhammer into the floor.
The shockwave blasted outward,
Gaunts flew like dolls, Warriors toppled, the Carnifex staggered and scraped its claws against the ground to keep himself from flying away from the shockwave.
Titus exhaled in relief.
"Good hit, Captain."
Gaius didn't respond, as he wasn't finished yet.
A pressure inside his chest.
Heat building in his limbs.
A resonance deep behind his eyes.
The fight had reached the point where he could no longer hold back.
He drew breath.
The air around him seemed to quiver with each breath he drew.
Even through his blue optics, his eyes seemed to glow gold.
And then
Gaius roared.
The sound thundered across the hangar like a shockwave detonating at point-blank range.
Tyranids froze mid-leap.
Others dropped like stones.
Several Warriors crashed into each other.
The Carnifex staggered, roaring in confusion.
Titus and the others, overwhelmed by the Tyranids, felt Gaius's roar.
Strength surged through them.
Their minds sharpened.
Their muscles steadied.
Warcry.
A blessing carried not through words, but through raw will.
Tony clutched his ears instinctively, even though he wasn't hurt. "Even though I've seen it before… his roar is truly inhuman!"
The other members of the group nodded in agreement with Tony's words.
Gaius's roar, carrying the sheer authority of the Emperor, expanded far wider than before. It shattered the psychic link between the Tyranids and their Hive Mind.
For miles around, the lower Tyranids broke completely.
Gaunts scratched at each other, disoriented.
Rippers chewed their own limbs.
Some creatures simply froze in place, quivering.
Higher-level Tyranids staggered, whining in discomfort, but didn't collapse.
The Hive Mind reeled
Then recoiled
Then began to stitch its control back together.
But something else heard the roar.
Something old.
Something massive.
Something made to wage war on the scale of continents.
Behind the Marines, the sealed gate to the Titan sanctum shuddered.
A deep vibration rumbled through the floor, like the growl of a colossal engine waking from an ancient sleep. The roar, carrying the sheer authority of the Emperor, echoed through the hangar, rousing the Titan from its long slumber.
Inside the gate near the Titan, Skitarii collapsed or clutched their heads. Tech-Priests shouted warnings as their augmentics began to overload from the Titan's roar.
A low hum filled the atmosphere.
The Titan was waking early.
Then
with a sound like mountains grinding against each other
the Titan turned its head.
Just a few degrees.
Enough to show that something titanic, ancient, and powerful was aware.
Aware of the battle.
Aware of Gaius.
Tony's jaw dropped as the sound of massive metal moving reached him, like a thousand engines powering on at once. "That… that sound, could that be the Titan Gaius and the others are defending?"
Mindy, having heard it as well, thought the same as Tony.
Diana said, "It's likely… that was the Titan, responding to Gaius' roar."
Saeko and Naruto nodded in agreement, sensing the incredible power of Gaius's roar.
The hangar vibrated again.
This time, from above.
Titus looked up first.
The sky, visible through the newly opened ceiling, flashed with streaks of fire.
Then
Thunderhawks.
Dozens of them.
Descending like falling stars, engines roaring, formation tight and deadly.
Their silhouettes darkened the clouds as they punched through the atmosphere.
Reinforcements.
Titus exhaled and finally removed his damaged helmet.
"Captain… reinforcements have arrived."
Gaius nodded calmly.
"Indeed."
For the first time in hours, the swarm faltered.
Tyranid bodies lay scattered across the floor.
Dust settled.
The roar of battle faded to a low crackle of distant gunfire and the hiss of cooling metal.
A stillness took the hangar.
Temporary.
Fragile.
But real.
It lasted only a minute before the a Thunderhawk touched down outside the Titan's gate.
Tech-Priests hurried forward, servitors wheeling behind them, while guardsmen moved alongside, keeping watch.
Then a tall figure stepped out.
Wrapped in metal.
Augmented spine glowing.
Wires coiling around his arms like living serpents.
Servo-skulls drifted around him.
Naruto looked at the new figure, it didn't seem like a regular Tech-Priest. Curious, he activated his Identification ability.
A window appeared:
Princeps Vardek Halion – Warlord-Class Reaver Titan Princeps
Princeps Halion is the human mind linked directly to a Warlord-class Reaper Titan. Through a deep neural interface, he controls the Titan's movements, weapons, and battlefield decisions as if they were his own. Trained by the Collegia Titanica, he works alongside the Moderatii and Tech-Adepts of his crew, maintaining absolute focus to prevent mistakes. His duty is clear: direct the Titan's massive firepower with precision, keeping the engine of war unstoppable and loyal to the Imperium.
Princeps Vardek Halion.
Tony nodded. "So that's the pilot, the one who will actually control the Titan."
Mindy read the description aloud. "'Keeping the engine of war unstoppable and loyal to the Imperium'? What does that mean… does it mean the Titan could betray them or something?"
Saeko replied to Mindy, "It might be like an AI, something that could be corrupted by Chaos. Like Gaius mentioned to Tony, the Titan's machine spirit could be compromised."
Halion walked straight toward Gaius, each step calm, measured, and dignified.
When he reached the Captain, he bowed his head slightly.
"Captain Gaius. Your stand has ensured the Titan remains safe. You have my gratitude."
Gaius returned a nod.
"Princeps Halion. The honor is mutual."
Before more could be said
The ground rumbled.
Not softly.
Not subtly.
Heavy. Slow. Thunderous.
Footsteps.
Metal scraping.
Hydraulics hissing.
It emerged from the Thunderhawk that had transported the Princeps.
Squat, massive, and box-shaped.
A thick, armored torso like a fortress wall.
Bulky legs composed of overlapping adamantium plates.
Arms ending in giant weapons and crushing power fist.
Exhaust stacks on its back venting heat and smoke.
Purity seals fluttered from old battle honors, worn but intact.
Seeing such a massive, imposing armor, Tony activated Identification.
A window appeared:
Dreadnought Valerius – Ultramarines (2,000-Year Veteran)
Valerius is a revered Ultramarines Dreadnought, interred for two millennia within an adamantium sarcophagus that preserves what remains of his mortal form. Like all Dreadnoughts, he is a mortally wounded hero granted a second life through fusion with a walking battle-tomb, armed with heavy weaponry, armored in ceramite and adamantium, and linked directly to the machine spirit that sustains him. Though he endures constant unimaginable pain, Valerius remains calm, disciplined, and unshakably loyal. His long service has made him a well of battlefield wisdom. When awakened, he brings the weight of centuries to war, an immovable pillar of Ultramarine honor and strength. Most of the time, he rests within his battle-tomb in darkness, awakened only to fight.
Dreadnought Valerius.
Tony nearly lost his balance even while floating.
"Th-That… is a two-thousand-year-old SPACE MARINE?!"
Naruto's jaw hung open.
"No way… "
Naruto was already in awe of Gaius, who had lived for over three centuries. The idea of someone surviving for more than, two thousand years, was beyond his comprehension.
Diana, far older than Valerius, was still equally shocked. A mortal, not god, and yet had lived for over two thousand years. This person, mortally wounded, was fused to a machine, able to keep fighting even while bearing such injuries. The sheer heroism and unyielding will it took to endure… left her in awe.
Saeko whispered, voice reverent:
"To fight for two millennia..."
Valerius stopped before Gaius.
Gaius stepped forward and removed his helm, revealing his face to the Dreadnought.
"Redemptor, honored brother Valerius."
The Dreadnought's ancient head tilted toward him.
Then a voice came, deep, metallic, echoing with centuries of war.
"Brother Gaius… you have grown since we first stood together against the servants of Chaos."
Gaius allowed himself a small, real smile.
Valerius continued:
"I was awakened to secure the Titan… only to find you already holding the line. The Chapter would be proud. Guilliman would be proud."
Gaius said respectfully.
"You honor me, brother."
Gaius was now far stronger than before; he could likely defeat the Dreadnought before him, and with the assistance of his jet pack, it would be even easier. Yet he still respected this warrior. Despite enduring unimaginable pain, the Dreadnought remained calm and wise, a stark contrast to others whose tempers flared violently. It was understandable, though, inside a Dreadnought, one feels nothing but immense, unrelenting pain.
Valerius's massive frame shifted as he stepped beside him.
Behind them, the Titan gate, still trembling, finally opened fully.
Princeps Halion walked inside without hesitation, ready to commune with the machine spirit.
Tech-Priests followed in ritual procession.
Skitarii lined up along the walls, forming a perimeter.
Leaving the guardsmen outside, watching the Dreadnought communicate with the Ultramarines, they were filled with awe and respect, feeling honored to be in their presence.
Thunderhawks continued descending, their engines thundering like a second heartbeat to the world.
The hangar was a graveyard of Tyranids and broken metal.
Smoke twisted upward through the holes in the ceiling.
Ash drifted like snow.
~~
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