Datch's exploits on the wall spread quickly.
A miraculous angel, blessed by the Emperor, wielding a hammer that could repair anything.
He alone caused tremendous losses for the Chaos traitors,
preventing them from breaking any of Hera Fortress's defenses.
Datch bounced all the way to the Sanctum, unchallenged.
Instead, people along the way saluted him—respect for the Emperor's messenger.
Inside, Datch felt the weight of history.
The room was immense, an arched tomb so large even a Warlord Titan could enter.
Marble pillars reached high, with stained glass and obsidian set in the ceiling.
Huge murals on the walls and ceiling depicted the Ultramarines' Primarch's deeds.
The entire hall radiated a solemn, sacred atmosphere.
On the throne, enclosed in a stasis field, sat the gene-Primarch—Roboute Guilliman.
He still wore the battered armor from his duel with the Daemon Primarch Fulgrim ten thousand years ago.
The silent Emperor's Sword lay beside him.
Behind the throne hung banners of the many Chapters who had come to pay homage.
"This game's timeline is impressively well done—everything feels real,"
Datch silently praised the dev team.
"Martian, are you colluding with xenos to murder the Primarch?!"
Calgar furiously accused Cawl of lies.
"That's baseless speculation," Cawl replied calmly. "Ten thousand years ago, the Primarch entrusted me to revive him at any cost should he fall. I am merely fulfilling that promise."
"Heretics! Every word you speak is lies!" Greyfax glared at Cawl and Celestine.
Black Templar Amalrich and Garrein sided with the Ultramarines.
But Ultramarines Chief Librarian Tigurius went to stand with Cawl and Celestine.
Eyes glowing with psychic power, he looked at Calgar.
"My lord, the galaxy is torn asunder. Chaos armies are unstoppable and mad. Cawl and the others are our last hope."
"This is the Emperor's will—not a plot to harm the Primarch," Celestine added, hoping Calgar would calm down.
"Absolutely unacceptable!" Calgar roared. "Leave the Sanctum at once—you are never to return!"
Datch hopped past the crowd to stand beside Cawl.
Datch's various feats had made him a living embodiment of the Emperor in the people's eyes,
his presence calming Calgar's anger somewhat, but not budging the Ultramarines.
Just then, two anti-air emplacements were suddenly disabled.
An Ultramarines Stormraven crashed into the Sanctum, skidding across the floor,
ripping open with flames and a torn wing.
It smashed through marble pillars and finally stopped after toppling a statue.
As everyone gaped in shock, Datch drew his chainsword and charged ahead.
"Death to traitors! For the Emperor!"
The minimap marked the Stormraven as an enemy.
Before others could react, the Stormraven's hatch opened,
and a group of Chaos Space Marines in twisted black and red armor, with spiked jump packs, stormed out.
"Slay the false Emperor's spawn!"
"Take Guilliman's head for the Blood God!"
...
They roared blasphemous war cries.
The Ultramarines reacted instantly, bolters and assault rifles thundering,
a hail of fire felling the enemy.
But they weren't fast enough. Three Chaos Marines slammed a blood-soaked Chaos icon into the ground.
Warp energy exploded, reality cracking with thunder.
A squad of Black Legion Terminators appeared.
Each was a veteran blessed by the Chaos Gods, clad in spiked, fanged Tactical Dreadnought Armor, wielding terrifying firepower.
They felled several Ultramarines the moment they arrived.
A fierce battle erupted.
The Sanctum was the Primarch's resting place—if lost, the consequences would be dire.
Calgar set aside his suspicions of Cawl and the others, warning them not to interfere, then rushed to organize a defense.
The others quickly joined the fight.
"Go complete your mission."
The arrival of Datch and Celestine convinced Tigurius that his prophecy was the Emperor's guidance.
Only by trusting Cawl and Yvraine of the Ynnari could humanity and the gene-father be saved.
Cawl placed the reliquary containing the Armour of Fate below Guilliman's throne and began the setup.
Tigurius and the Ynnari warriors fended off enemy interference.
The battle worsened by the second. More Black Legionnaires teleported into the shrine.
Twisted Chaos Sorcerers chanted foul spells,
using warp energy to shake the Sanctum's foundations and sap its holy power.
Khorne Berserkers, chanting the Blood God's name, launched wave after wave of frenzied attacks.
Both sides fought desperately, knowing the outcome would decide the fate of the Imperium.
At the front, Datch became surrounded,
dying repeatedly to the relentless attacks.
Sometimes he could trample enemies with a skill, but was soon surrounded again.
But his infinite resurrection ability tied up many Black Legionaries, easing the pressure for others.
Still, the enemy numbers were overwhelming.
Imperial casualties mounted. Celestine's attendants fell one after another.
Greyfax was gravely wounded, hiding behind cover.
Garrein roared again and again, but was finally overrun and his fate unknown.
Just then, Cawl's work neared completion.
The enormous reliquary unfolded like a carnivorous flower, enveloping the stasis field around Guilliman.
Cawl breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Yvraine. "Your turn."
Fighting Calgar also noticed the throne's anomaly.
"No!" he roared, turning to Tigurius. "Stop them, I beg you, brother. Don't let them harm the Primarch!"
Tigurius shook his head. "This is our only hope, my lord. We must have faith and choose."
Calgar, furious, raised his bolter at Yvraine,
but her sword flashed, severing the power cable to the stasis device.
The machine fell silent. A gloomy sigh echoed.
"What have you done?!"
Calgar was in utter despair, rage burning in his chest.
He held back, turning his gun on the traitors.
He swore to himself:
If the Primarch died, he would have vengeance on everyone.
The Aeldari would be wiped from the stars, and Mars would pay the price.
With the Primarch dead, right or wrong no longer mattered—the galaxy would burn.
The Chaos Marines, seeing Cawl's actions, went berserk,
throwing themselves at the throne.
Loyal Space Marines abandoned cover, standing between Chaos and Guilliman, buying Cawl time with their lives.
"For Lord Guilliman!"
An Ultramarine veteran shouted, plasma and energy blasts tearing through him in an instant.
The Black Legion assaulted with reckless abandon.
But as they were about to break through,
the reliquary finished its work, beeped, and its indicator light turned green.
As the mechanical arms retracted, a shocking sight appeared before all.
The son of the Emperor, true lord of Ultramar, father of the Ultramarines—had returned.
…