Daemons.
Ancient tales described them in depth.
No elaboration needed here.
Warhammer 40K daemons also coveted mortal souls. They tempted mortals—but temptation was inefficient. Simply slaughtering mortals in preferred methods was far more productive.
But the infected humans—they were no longer truly human.
Their genetic sequences were over 99.3% Zerg-fused. Humanoid Zerglings, in essence. Utterly subsumed by Swarm will. Upon death, no soul remained.
Heart-Eater was incandescent.
He'd come for battle? The Hive yielded few souls. Over half the Hive's population—infected and cultists—were soulless. Why was he here?
And he'd suffered significant losses. Daemons were expendable. Death Guard initiates? Not so easily replaced!
"Two escorts! TWO! Those ships carried precious daemon engines! What the hell ARE these xenos creatures?!"
"...They resemble certain insectoids recently observed at the galactic fringe." A Death Guard adjutant murmured.
So the daemon had encountered Tyranids before.
"I don't care what they are. I want them dead! Maintain the warp rifts within the Hive! Daemons will crush these insects!!!"
As a higher Nurgle daemon, Heart-Eater could indeed summon Nurgle daemons.
Within the Hive, seven warp rifts opened through heretic rituals. Plague zombies and Plaguebearers flooded the Hive. Within hours, their numbers rivaled the Bottom Hive's Zerg Swarm.
Yes. You read correctly. The Zerg Swarm was outnumbered.
Daemon numbers were effectively infinite. Since the warp's inception, countless souls had been drawn into it, transmuted into daemons. No one knew the warp's true daemon population.
Certainly beyond the Zerg Swarm's current forces.
"No explanations necessary! Kill all humans! Grind these insects into dust!!!"
Daemons needed no reason to slay humans. Plaguebearers assaulted the Upper Hive. The Bottom Hive's Zerg Swarm also came under attack—but Ravager-Taintedform cooperation held the line. Plaguebearers couldn't breach.
The Upper Hive, however, had collapsed. Astra Militarum lines shattered; defenders withdrew to street-level. Upper Hive civilian life was utterly disrupted.
Even the Spire's nobles discussed evacuation via transport shuttles.
Within a Spire prison cell, Frank was incarcerated.
His failure against the Zerg had landed this Imperial Navy colonel here, awaiting trial. He'd assumed his life was over. Then an unexpected visitor arrived.
"Grandfather Frank."
A young woman in aristocratic dress stood outside his cell, peering into the dark, dank confines. Even Spire prisons were wretched places.
Frank raised his head. He seemed to have aged years in days.
"Ah. Marie. You've come. Has the Governor decided to execute me?"
"No, Grandfather. He sent me to free you. You don't know—the Hive is absolute chaos. Those bugs. Infected underhivers. Daemons. Planetary Defense and Astra Militarum are resisting. Enemy warships in orbit, too. Grandfather says you were right. Those xenos insects are formidable."
Marie's face was etched with worry. For her grandfather the Governor. For this planet's future.
An inexperienced noblewoman, perhaps. But no fool. She'd read enough to understand what happened when enemies occupied worlds.
"Grandfather says the Navy needs you. So."
She held up a cell key.
"He's chosen to release you. Others may question it. But he still believes you're an Imperial hero. Just as you've saved this planet before, many times. You can save everyone again."
"That old fool, Monche..."
Frank sighed wearily. So he still had worth.
Good. He feared being valueless to the Imperium more than death itself.
No time for sentiment. "Open the cell. These are extraordinary circumstances. No time to waste. I must return to my ship immediately. My crew awaits their captain."
"Go, Grandfather Frank."
Marie worked the controls. The heavy cell door swung open.
"The Imperium needs you."
Frank ran. Emerging from the prison, he saw Spire streets fortified with Astra Militarum positions. Every guardsman was grim-faced.
Underhive regiments: completely infected. Upper Hive regiments: shattered remnants. Manpower was critically low.
Frank ignored them. He was Navy. He ran toward the naval docking bays.
————————————
After over a day of waiting, the Swarm Overmind finally received the message.
"Overmind. Analysis of enemy plague virus complete. Swarm can broadly adapt to current plague strain. Combat functionality retention exceeds 95%."
†Excellent. Zasz. Commence assault. I will attack from orbit!†
"As you will, exalted Overmind."
Zasz had awaited this order long enough. The Ultralisks at the Bottom Hive Webway Gate struck first.
Too large for narrow passages, they advanced through the main arterial tunnels—currently occupied by Nurgle daemons. Zasz issued the attack order without hesitation.
"Ultralisks. Charge!!!"
Ultralisks roared. Their immense frames began moving, accelerating down the main arteries.
Zerglings and Banelings swarmed at their feet, untouched by Ultralisks' trampling. Such precise control was the province of Cerebrates.
Zergling-Ultralisk rush. Aggressive. Relentless.
The Death Guard had established forward positions in the main thoroughfare, parking various armored vehicles. Suddenly, they felt tremors. Steel deck plates shuddered under colossal impacts.
Distant heavy footfalls grew louder. Accompanied by bestial roars.
"What's that sound?"
"Probably just more Hive conduit noise."
The Death Guard dismissed it. Nothing could break their lines. Nearly ten Plagueburst Crawlers were deployed in this main artery alone. Predator tanks beyond count.
To breach this position, the enemy would need multiple Warlord-class Titans.
If this planet possessed multiple Warlord-class Titans, they'd flee instantly. No shame in that!
But their confidence soon wavered.
At the artery's bend, an immense shape appeared.
An Ultralisk.
Its scale was unmistakably Titan-grade. Larger than even the smallest Warhound Scout Titan.
"!!!"
"What IS that?!"
"Em—Plague Father above! Is that a bio-Titan?!"
And then—more.
The artery's width allowed two Ultralisks to charge abreast. Behind the first pair, more Ultralisks. Over ten visible. Behind them, more still.
The Bottom Hive's deck plates vibrated violently under the thunder of their charge. A sustained, deafening drone.
At the Ultralisks' feet, Zerglings surged like swarming ants. Hydralisks and Roaches advanced in coordinated waves. The sheer density induced phobia.
The scene—a recreation of Heart of the Swarm's iconic CG sequence.
"Don't just stand there! FIRE!"
A Death Guard Lord recovered his wits.
"Plagueburst batteries! LOAD! OBLITERATE THEM! THEY MUST NOT REACH US!!!"
The awe they felt—comparable to facing a Mechanicus Titan Legion.