The shadow of Hive Fleet Leviathan loomed closer and closer over the Adamantine Ring—that frozen glacial asteroid belt that had long isolated the Cryptus System from outside threats.
When the first of Leviathan's vanguard bio-ships extended their tendril-like limbs into the frigid zone, the icy void responded instantly—encasing the alien flesh in crystalline frost that shimmered like diamond.
The tentacles froze solid.
Some were rendered immobile; others shattered under the strain.
These frozen chunks of Tyranid biomass became part of the Adamantine Ring.
This sudden shift caused a brief hesitation in the Hive Fleet. The swarm appeared to momentarily reassess the obstacle.
But without doubt—
The Great Devourer would not be denied its feast.
Soon, Hive Fleet Leviathan made its decision.
To better traverse the glacial field, it split into dozens of smaller fleets, each threading its way through the deadly maze.
The hazard was extreme.
Even Leviathan's living ships, known for resilience, could not endure this level of cold.
Bio-ships slowed, some drifting powerless into the void, others crashing into dagger-sharp crystal formations on asteroid surfaces—impaled, or sheared apart.
Leviathan's advance slowed dramatically, losing more tendrils to the cold...
On the other side of the Adamantine Ring—
The Imperial Navy fleet held its defensive line, waiting to annihilate any Hive ships that emerged.
Flagship Bridge
"Just as I predicted. Those damned bugs can't handle the cold of the Ring..."
Admiral Jastus smirked, watching the augur displays.
Data confirmed that Hive Fleet Leviathan's pace had nearly halted, with significant losses to the frigid conditions.
Many signatures vanished entirely.
Jastus lit a Vols cigar—a rare and luxurious item.
Made from leaves guarded by beasts on feral worlds, harvesting even a few cost dozens of workers their lives.
Some critics called them blood-soaked luxuries, demanding the industry be shut down.
But the elite adored them even more because of their brutality.
Premium cigars bore engraved symbols indicating how many died harvesting their leaves.
The one in Jastus' hand? Five hundred lives.
But that didn't matter.
Inhaling the aromatic smoke, the Admiral savored a hint of victory.
Soon, the Hive would fall to the cold.
He thought, Now's the time to seize glory...
If they could kill more Tyranids here, his honors would soar—etched into Imperial history.
He had stagnated too long at this rank. A major victory could elevate him.
He couldn't miss this chance.
If even a fraction of the swarm slipped past into the Warden's Girdle, the glory would be diluted.
Jastus eagerly barked to his adjutant:
"Full speed ahead! Intercept the swarm!"
The adjutant's face paled at the rash command.
He hesitantly advised, "Admiral, this may be reckless. Perhaps we should—"
"That's an order, adjutant."
Jastus sucked hard on his cigar, eyes narrowing. "Execute it. Now."
The adjutant always did rub him the wrong way. If not for his talent, Jastus would've dismissed him already.
No matter what—
He had to beat the orbital batteries to first blood.
Even if it cost some ships—it'd be worth it!
Bowing his head under the Admiral's steely gaze, the adjutant complied:
"Yes, Admiral."
In space, the Imperial fleet abandoned its defensive formation, charging directly toward the Adamantine Ring.
Shadows began to emerge from the glacial mists—
Hive ships, battered but unbroken, slowly emerged from the frozen maze, frost clinging to their carapaces.
On the bridge—
Jastus, chewing his cigar, clapped his adjutant on the shoulder smugly.
"You see? My decision was correct."
Through the overhead dome, the silhouettes of Tyranid vessels became clearer.
They looked weaker—vitality reduced by the cold.
The Ring had culled their numbers. The Navy now had the upper hand!
"Admiral… the swarm's numbers seem... abnormal."
The adjutant warned, "We're too close. We should halt and prepare for their charge."
He feared the Admiral's ambition would doom them all.
But it was too late for caution.
The adjutant had no command authority—only advisory.
Jastus looked at him with disappointment.
Still clinging to fear at a moment of opportunity?
After this war, he decided—the man would be removed.
Jastus ignored him and issued another command:
"Maintain speed. Engage when in range."
The distance between fleets closed rapidly.
As soon as the Hive Fleet entered weapons range, Jastus gave the order:
"All ships, target and FIRE!"
The fleet sprang to life.
Turrets swiveled.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—
The void lit up with macro-cannon fire, illuminating the grotesque Hive ships in flickering detail.
Shells screamed through the dark, streaking like meteors.
Torpedo tubes opened, loosing payloads like silent hunters.
Lance batteries flared, beams punching forward, searing the space before them.
Under Jastus' command, the Navy unleashed a devastating barrage—
But—
When the shots struck the bio-ships, it was as if they hit walls.
Macro shells sparked against hardened carapaces, leaving only dents.
Torpedoes exploded—insufficient to breach armor.
Lance beams refracted off ice-encrusted shells, diffused before doing real harm.
The first volley had done nothing.
Silence gripped the bridge.
Jastus and his officers stared in disbelief.
The adjutant pulled combat logs, analyzing quickly.
He grimly announced:
"The Hive Fleet's adaptability has exceeded all expectations. The Adamantine Ring didn't hinder them—"
"…it strengthened them."
"They've already adapted to the cold. Their armor evolved."
Jastus grabbed the datasheet, stunned.
His rash strategy had trapped the fleet in danger.
The glory he sought might become disgrace.
Then—he realized something worse.
The augur began screaming alarms.
Hundreds—thousands—of Tyranid signatures.
It wasn't that the Hive lost units—
They had camouflaged themselves, matching the icy temperature of the asteroids.
The augurs had mistaken them for part of the Ring.
Now, they emerged from the mist—
Shimmering shadows advancing.
Leviathan's bio-ships surged forth, their numbers overwhelming, a tsunami of death.
Hiss—
Jastus' prized cigar fell to the floor.
He stared, hollow-eyed, at the coming doom.
There was no escape.
The Tyranid shadow blocked even Warp travel.
They would catch and consume everything.
And he couldn't flee.
The Cryptus System was behind him—retreat would mean treason.
The Inquisition would come for him, and no family influence could protect his kin.
His hand trembling, Jastus lit another cigar.
Calming his nerves, he turned to his adjutant and said sincerely:
"Perhaps it's too late… but I owe you an apology. You've been a good man."
"Admiral…"
The adjutant, pale-faced, shook his head:
"Actually… your mistake may turn out to be a blessing."
"The swarm's numbers were far beyond expectations. Before they regroup—hit them hard. We'll buy time for the defenses."
Jastus chuckled bitterly.
"You're saying we charge?"
"Yes, Admiral. We must."
"…Then we will."
He exhaled, eyes hardening.
"All ships—CHARGE! Send those bugs to hell!"
In the face of death, Admiral Jastus made his final choice.
New orders were issued.
The Imperial fleet charged, a suicidal advance.
Ships closed the gap, firing at point-blank, doing real damage.
Some, heavily damaged, rammed Tyranid ships directly—dying together in fire.
Others shoved bio-ships back into the Ring, impaling them on glacial blades.
...
Flagship Bridge
The ship shook violently, throwing crew to the floor.
Acid and plasma seared through the hull.
Worse still—
Several Hive Krakens had wrapped massive tendrils around the ship.
Jastus fought to stay upright.
"Target those tendrils! Fire everything!"
Across comms—screams and damage reports.
Tyranids had breached the ship.
Electric arcs burst across consoles.
Then—
The shields went down.
The Hive had destroyed the power core.
Jastus didn't flinch.
He gave one final order:
"RAM that largest Hive ship in visual range!"
SMASH—
Something slammed into the bridge dome.
It splattered—meat and ichor—
But the fluid began to corrode the dome, cracks spreading.
Suddenly—
CRACK—
A dark mass rammed through, piercing the bridge.
When the crew recovered, they saw it—
A Tyranid boarding torpedo. Spear-shaped. Deadly.
PLOP—
The creature within tore its way out, lunging at the nearest crew.
Screams echoed.
Guards died one after another.
"Damn you—!"
Jastus dropped his cigar, drew his pistol, and opened fire.
He killed one.
Dragged his wounded adjutant beside him, kept firing.
But it was futile.
"Do you think... I'll join the Emperor on His Throne?"
He asked.
No reply.
A moment later—
Admiral Jastus was torn apart by the swarm.
His body joined the feast.
But the ship didn't stop.
Its engines, pre-set for overload, drove it forward—
BOOM—
The flagship collided with a Tyranid cruiser, detonating in a hellish explosion.
Taking the xenos with it.
Jastus and his fleet had bought time with their lives.
Soon, the void grew quiet.
The last Imperial warship fell.
The first line of Cryptus' defense had fallen.
Tyranid bio-ships moved in to reclaim biomass.
Then, regrouped—
And turned toward the next layer: The Warden's Girdle.
—
The Warden's Girdle
A dense belt of asteroids and mining platforms.
All personnel had evacuated.
Now—gun batteries and lance arrays lined the rocks.
Macro batteries and drifting torpedoes filled the void.
General Meron had relocated his best gunners and tech-priests here, ensuring the machine-spirits were ready.
Due to Tyranid shadow interference, they had no updates on the Adamantine Ring.
But the General knew—they couldn't win this in space.
So he ordered all forces to remain hidden.
When the swarm reached the center—
Then they'd strike, all at once.
Troops obeyed.
Even when scouts were discovered and killed, they remained silent—
To keep their ambush intact.
Soon, Hive Fleet Leviathan entered the trap.
BOOM—
Torpedoes struck first.
Then macro-cannon. Then lances.
The sky burned with fire so bright even the nomads on Lycios saw it.
But after a week—
The light ceased.
No one knew what happened inside.
The Tyranid shadow blocked all comms.
But one thing was certain:
Those brave defenders had slain countless bio-ships and xenos—
Buying time for the rest.
THUD—
A Kraken burst through an asteroid—emerging from the Girdle.
More shadows followed.
The Hive Fleet had broken the kill zone.
Now they surged toward the nearest planets—
Lycios, Erynes' Bloom, and surrounding moons.
Soon, the vanguard reached orbit.
Spore pods rained down, each packed with monsters.
On the ground, people began to despair...
—
Suddenly.
A battleship and several escorts dropped out of the void near Erynes' Bloom.
It was the Sons of Man's flagship.
Dark green landing craft descended to the surface.
At the same time—
The void tore open.
A rift of dim light spilled forth—
One warship after another emerged from the Webway.
These ships were armed to the teeth, carrying elite troops.
Their hulls bore the symbol of the Savior.
The first wave of reinforcements from Eden's domain—
Had arrived.
(End of Chapter)
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