Warhammer: The 11th Primarch - The Black Emperor

The Throne of Sovereignty's Shadow locked onto its target: the tallest Iron Tower of Necromunda. High-speed drop pods howled as they pierced the planet's atmosphere.

Dozens of drop pods ignited their boosters, accelerating to a blistering speed of 12,000 kilometers per hour. In mere seconds, guided by the machine spirit of the Throne of Sovereignty's Shadow in orbit, they slammed into the Iron Towers' protective shield.

A thunderous roar like the wrath of the heavens erupted. Blinding light soared into the sky, and in an instant, the defense system collapsed.

Despite activating reverse thrusters at the last second, the drop pods still hit the tower with devastating force. Massive structures crumbled under the shockwave.

The violent tremor shook even the towering taller than the Paradigm City of Vostroya. Screams echoed from peripheral buildings before they tumbled and shattered.

Necromunda's iron tower, like the spires of hive and forge worlds, followed similar structural patterns. The spires of the future Imperium's largest hive world were even taller and more populous.

Due to architectural fragility, massive battles or natural disasters often affected the upper edges of these structures; those living in the high peripheries were the first to suffer.

Scavenging from fallen debris became a crucial opportunity for minor families, a rare path for commoners to change their fate.

As the lower-dwellers scrambled from their homes, risking life and limb to seize their chance at fortune, similar scenes unfolded at the seven other towers.

The Fourth Chapter's first wave of assault had begun in full. The eight major iron towers across Necromunda, taller and more prominent than the surrounding towers, were key strategic targets locked by the Shadows of Order.

Nareth and his Honor Guard exited their drop pod. The Primarch scanned his surroundings and immediately locked onto his target: the tallest structure atop the towers.

"Transmit our position to the flagship!"

"Advance!"

The Honor Guard, following close behind him, had all passed the trials and become Sequence 9 Beyonders.

After advancing nearly a kilometer, the Techno-nobility led their forces to ambush the Shadows of Order from all directions.

With a glance, Nareth noticed that every enemy soldier had undergone some form of cybernetic augmentation.

The elite in ornate power armor, clearly part of the techno-nobility, were nearly devoid of organic flesh.

The battle began immediately. The Araneus troopers, with their mechanical spider legs, wielded either four or six jointed limbs in bizarre postures, unleashing attacks with their weapons.

Crackling arcs of electricity struck black armor. Several Shadows of Order warriors saw runic feedback on their helmet displays and immediately warned their brothers over the vox.

"Their weapons can damage power armor!"

The Honor Guard responded instantly. "Warriors" and "Hunters" surged forward.

The "Warriors" charged into the densest enemy ranks, disintegration fields on their power swords flickering and chainswords roaring, dozens of spider-troopers fell in an instant.

"Hunters" weaved among them, delivering surgical strikes that further shattered enemy formations.

In the chaos, even the enemy's Identification Friend or Foe systems faltered. Arc weapons were fired wildly, often striking friendlies.

Calm and focused, the Shadows of Order enacted their gene-father's teachings. They raised their bolters, locked on using superhuman senses and instinct, and fired with deadly precision.

On the battlefield, only the Techno-nobilities posed a significant threat to the Shadow of Order.

A bolter round blasted off one of a Techno-noble's alloyed spider legs, but he sprang back with the remaining three, lunging like a monstrous spider, lashing his augmetic limbs at the power armor.

Blades shrieked, ceramite split open, just as the Shadow of Order warrior was about to be cleaved, golden light flared.

The Techno-noble was obliterated by a punch, his cybernetic remains scattering.

Nareth never broke stride. He reappeared in front of another Techno-Aristocrat and cut him down, the disintegration field of his sword shredding through half his metal-plated skull.

With every passing second, another Techno-noble fell to the gene-primarch's blade. Nareth led his Honor Guard toward the objective, though the flood of enemies gradually slowed their advance.

From the skies, strange disc-shaped drones came hurtling toward them.

Just then, a legion aircraft tore through the heavens, engaging the circular drones in fierce aerial combat.

Four Shadows of Order gunships dove from above, rotary laser cannons roaring as beams swept through enemy ranks, and dozens of Araneus troopers collapsed.

Seizing the moment, the Shadows of Order surged ahead, their adaptability in combat shining through. Cool-headed and efficient, they delivered precise blows.

The Araneus troopers, unable to withstand the combined aerial and ground assault, were forced into retreat. The Shadows of Order drew ever closer to their goal.

Then, the ground trembled.

A massive metal monstrosity, the size of a Knight-class war machine, stomped forward.

Its lower body bore eight spider-like alloy legs. Its entire body lacked a single ounce of flesh, more like a walking steel pillar. Folded mechanical spider arms extended from its shoulders, chest, and back, each bearing a unique weapon.

Two rear spider limbs lifted, activating a series of glowing circular data crystals. Energy surged to their tips.

Brilliant beams lanced across the battlefield, shredding spider-troopers and piercing the ceramite armor of two Shadow of Order warriors who couldn't dodge in time.

Nareth sensed the loss of two of his sons, and in an instant, identified the new threat:

The Chief Iron Lord.

The Primarch charged.

Araneus troopers and Techno-nobles alike were crushed beneath him like insects under an elephant.

Running at full speed, Nareth raised his bolt pistol and fired.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Nareth's black eyes narrowed. Through the blast smoke, he saw the Chief Iron Lord raise his twin alloy arms.

Circular shields hung from his spider limbs. As he spun his metal arms, the shields deflected the explosive rounds, his limbs remained undamaged.

'It's the energy field…'

Nareth thought to himself, appearing before the Iron Lord in a flash, thrusting his sword.

The Chief Iron Lord's shoulder limbs snapped out like spring-loaded daggers.

The disintegration field clashed with the strange red-glowing energy field, letting out an ear-piercing screech.

The Iron Lord's crimson cyber-eyes flashed. Two spider limbs on his shoulders darted forward like spears, stabbing straight for Nareth's head.

...

If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.

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