Assembling over the course of several Terran Standard Days, the main force of the Warhound Space Marines from the 13th Expeditionary Fleet responded to the Emperor's call.
Except for the legionnaires who were still fighting the aliens on the front lines in fierce battles, most of the war dogs came to the Resolute Resolve. Dozens of cruisers and frigates came to the escort channel of this behemoth, and even several A main battleship was also docked at the nearby star port.
Today, this silent majestic fleet is docked over their new home world - Nuceria.
They will be the spearhead of the new Twelfth Legion, the Sons of the Mountains, heading for the Great Crusade, and the sharp blades that will open up countless territories for the Empire.
The subspace channels of various frontline strongholds are continuously opened under the emperor's orders. Countless material transport ships are entering and exiting the starport like swarms. Anyone can clearly smell the smoke before the war.
Tech-priests from Mars are building a majestic forge world on the desolate moon of this red sand world. They are connected to the fleet's logistics supplies through blood vessels made of steel, and are constantly replenishing the expedition fleet that is ready to go. blood.
The Iron Warriors, who were once the reliable comrades of the War Dog Legion, even led an envoy consisting of several companies to the new home world of the War Dog and took the initiative to ask Ying to repair the defenses - these perseverance and heart-warming soldiers Although the Iron Warriors are not good at words on weekdays, the common memories built of countless blood and fire are the few friendships between these silent Astartes and other legions.
Moreover, the Iron Warriors' Primarch, Perturabo, did not interfere with their request.
This majestic assembly operation even shocked the Imperial War Council. When their astrology immediately sent a question to this ancient expedition fleet known as the "Bloody 13", the message personally replied by the Primarch made them Shut up now.
[The Lord of Mankind has authorized his daughter to take over the Twelfth Legion. 】
[From now on, Sons of the Mountains will be the new name of the war dogs. This Legion would return to the Great Crusade after mustering for ten standard Terran days. 】
[Primarch——Angron Elaine]
Yes, another Primarch has returned to the Imperium.
And, unlike a dozen of its kind, this Emperor's creature was female.
Many people were shocked by this, but most people did not have too many opinions on this, because there are many female generals in the empire who have stood out in the trials of blood and war, and the perseverance and courage of most of them cannot be underestimated. watch for.
However, inevitable rumors eventually began to spread throughout the empire, and that was about the personality of the Primarch.
Each Primarch has been discussed as such, although no one can dispute the abilities of a Primarch, who is born to conquer all.
Whenever a Primarch returns, a world is returned to the control of the Imperium without bloodshed.
However, the unique and eccentric personalities of the Lord of Man's creatures... are often discussed as anecdotes.
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"This is a great regiment."
The holographic projection reflected the shining golden eyes of the Primarch, and she sincerely sighed at the spectacular and magnificent scene in front of her.
On the deck of the Glory Queen-class battleship - the Resolute Resolve, the massive 12th Legion is gathering with extremely high efficiency. Several regiments, dozens of battalions, and hundreds of companies of Astartes are gathering Rallying under the name Dogs of War.
These approximately eight thousand Space Marines are the swords and spears of the new Legion. Their ferocious and fanatical fighting will will spread throughout the galaxy in the name of the original body.
"Of course, my sister, Elaine. No one has ever questioned the strength and military discipline of the Warhounds. They are the sharp fangs and claws of the Great Crusade. Although they are few in number... there is never a world they cannot conquer."
A magnetic voice came from Elaine's side, and the intellectual and vaguely proud words symbolized his trust in the war dog.
Accompanied by heavy footsteps, a bright silver burly figure appeared in the sight of the Mother of War Dogs. The exquisite painting of the Wolf Shepherd and the scarlet Eyes of Terra symbolized his noble status. The first one was The Lord of Mankind is searching for the Primarch of Terra, the undisputed main force of the Great Crusade, the Lord of Mankind's most beloved heir, and the Lord of the Sixteenth Legion, the Luna Wolves—Horus.
Elaine's heroic brows frowned slightly after hearing Horus's words. She seemed not to like the answer, and the data panel in her thick gauntlet also displayed a series of scarlet casualty data.
Glory comes with a price.
"That sharpness was indeed bought with their blood, my brother. I have read the battle reports of the War Dogs in the past thirty years, and these data are not optimistic."
The gentle but vaguely angry voice symbolized that the Mother of War Dogs and the Wolf Shepherd God did not agree on the same opinions. The respect for her brother in the past was also overwhelmed by some emotions, and the slight dissatisfaction in the gilt eyes was clearly conveyed. Gave it to her brother.
Even though she didn't know her genetic children well, she also knew that the hot blood should not be wasted on a high-intensity battlefield.
"Your excessive gentleness towards your offspring always surprises me, sister. This is what I will lead you to understand in the following days... Your offspring are a group of fierce hounds, and gentleness is indeed a good medicine. , but corresponding rigor is also indispensable.”
Horus expertly and methodically presented his views in response to his new sisters, with a voice that was both majestic and tolerant, like a true elder brother.
Similar situations had occurred between the brother and sister over the past several standard Terran days. There were similar differences in their discussions about the Great Crusade. The Wolf Shepherd never intensified the differences, but turned them into tolerance and guidance.
Tolerance is the virtue of the Shepherd God when he gets along with his brothers. His words are always just right. Even if he has differences of opinion with his brothers, he will only brush aside the conflict of ideas.
As the Primarch beloved by the Emperor, Horus had the obligation to lead his compatriots in the right direction during the Great Crusade, and he would be as tolerant of his true brothers and sisters as possible.
But besides speaking, he also took the data panel from Elaine's palm and carefully read the cruel reports of thousands of battles.
In the past, the Luna Wolves and the Warhounds shared the glory of the Great Crusade. Although the Warhounds have never been able to usher in their Primarch, this is also a great legion that Horus has never looked at.
Soon, the Shepherd God discovered his unshirkable responsibility for the casualties caused by the war dogs... and among the numerous victory records of the Luna Wolves with the assistance of the war dogs, there were few records about the war dogs. .
Horus's brows furrowed momentarily.
Yes, this is an intolerable problem.
Reason and emotion quickly intertwined, and unimaginable anger accumulated in the thick chest of the Wolf Shepherd God.
Soon, his fists wrapped in thick gauntlets began to clench, while Elaine looked at her brother in confusion.
Horus' originally gentle gaze quickly turned serious and apologetic, and the sense of responsibility and guilt quickly caused the Wolf God to give up the majesty he deserved as an elder brother.
These irrelevant emotions don't matter when it comes to the real problem.
Under the surprised gaze of the Mother of War Dogs, Horus immediately bowed to his sister to express his apology:
"…I offer you my most personal apologies, my sister."
"Regarding the casualties of your noble heirs...most of the responsibility lies with me. Because the ferocity of the war dogs makes me more inclined to deploy them on high-intensity battlefields."
"Although I have reservations about the correctness of decisions in war..."
Horus spoke calmly, explaining to Elaine his reasonable command in several battles. Even though he didn't find any blame in his sister's gilded eyes, the proud Wolf Shepherd still expressed his apology from a personal standpoint.
But his slightly trembling rough voice seemed to be suppressing some unspeakable anger, and his methodical words were gradually tinged with anger in the following topics.
"But the Luna Wolves took the glory that the Warhounds deserved."
In an instant, Elaine seemed to see a real giant wolf displaying its anger like a natural disaster. Horus's formerly intellectual and majestic resolute face was filled with deathly solemnity, and his thick Adam's apple slid and made a suppressed sound. .
Obviously, as the proud Lord of the Luna Wolves, Horus's anger was completely ignited. The reason was not the accountability of his sisters, but the neglect of the war dogs by the empire's war recorder. And the slander of the Luna Wolf.
As the absolute main force in the Great Crusade, the glory of the Luna Wolves has never needed such lame flattery - let alone snatching the fruits of glory from their brother legions.
"This is a problem that cannot be ignored, and I have an unshirkable responsibility. I will find out what the problem is... After that, I will apply to my father for a formal apology to you, and give the war dogs the honor they deserve."
The suppressed angry voice of the Wolf Shepherd God revealed a sincere apology. Yes, Horus had never expected that he would be so angry that he lost his temper, because this kind of thing was simply unreasonable to the Luna Wolves who valued glory. He immediately suppressed his volcanic emotions, and the brotherly demeanor he used to have with Elaine resurfaced.
"I apologize again, Elaine."
The resolute and sincere face of Horus expressed the apology from his brother, and the sonorous and powerful words and emotions symbolized that the guilt in it was not false. Elaine, who had not originally wanted to pursue the matter, was also surprised by Horus's attitude.
Yes, she did find that the bloody casualties of the war dogs were related to her brother's decision-making on the battlefield, but the mother of the war dogs never questioned the decision-making. Sacrifice in war was necessary, and it was never related to her. There is a conflict with the strong maternal love.
In fact, her descendants who are about to rejoin the Great Crusade will surely die in the tragic war, but the sadness and anger caused by the sacrifice will only be returned to those aliens who are in desperate need of conquering. Elaine never thought that Throwing the responsibility to the brother he met for the first time.
Even though the image of Horus in her memories of the future was extremely bad, her conversations with the Lord of the Luna Wolves within a few days overturned it in her mind.
The Wolf Shepherd, who has not been corrupted by the blasphemous power of the four gods, is a truly fascinating and excellent general and an extremely good brother.
"...I never thought of pursuing you, my brother."
"I just... feel sorry for the loss of war dogs in the battle. Every mother will cherish their children, and so do I."
Elaine's gentle voice explained her complicated emotions with a sigh, because she immediately realized how sincere and sincere Horus's apology was under the suppressed anger, and she also noticed her brother's uncontrollable anger, as if Endless volcanic heat about to erupt.
Although they didn't get along for too long, they both knew each other well that the brother and sister would never conflict due to differences in opinions.
And Elaine's original intention... was just to complain a little bit.
Moreover, she never needed her brother to apologize for this matter. The Mother of War Dogs never cared about the so-called glory... all she worried about was the distant future and tragedies that should not happen.
"The problem has happened, my sister. And the responsibility for it lies on my shoulders. I know that your goodness is among my brothers, and no one can match it except Vulkan... And this is you A treasure given to me so I will never misuse it.”
Horus's steady voice revealed self-blame. For this approachable sister, he knew very well that Elaine's original intention was never to hold her accountable. Yes, Horus knew that the other party was only sharing her regrets for her children, but as the elder brother and the Lord of the Luna Wolves, he did have the responsibility to express his apology to the Mother of the War Hounds.
Although each brother and sister believed in each other's sincerity and kindness, if no explanation was given, a terrible misunderstanding might arise, a possibility that Horus would never tolerate.
"Sigh... As for the apology, please leave it until after we complete our father's Great Crusade... By then, all the grief will have meaning."
Elaine's gentle voice revealed some uneasiness. The sullen anger just now had long since disappeared under Horus's sincere apology. Rather, that sullenness was ultimately the regret and heartache for her deceased son, and she never thought of holding anyone accountable.
No matter how sad and angry she is, the dead warrior will not be resurrected after all.
There was a galaxy waiting for her and her brothers to conquer, and she had no time to grieve.
The slight uneasiness in Elaine's mind was taken into consideration by Horus. After he thought for a long time, his frown relaxed slightly.
"...Okay. The Shadow Moon Wolf is always a war dog... no, the most solid backing for the Sons of the Mountains."
After saying this, the Wolf Shepherd God's aura, which was like a man-eating ferocious beast, returned to his brother's gentleness.
Keeping the sonorous and powerful words of the Wolf Shepherd God in her heart, Elaine began to turn her eyes back to her proud descendants on the holographic projection. The Primarch began to deal with the various personnel configurations of the new expedition fleet in an orderly manner. .
After seeing Elaine start his work, Horus also turned his attention to the battle report.
He had never thought that his Luna Wolves, which represented glory, would be stained with such stains. Horus's quick thoughts quickly thought of those imperial wars in which the war dogs were integrated into the infamous 'Blood 13' fleet. parliament.
Compared to the tens of thousands of other Astartes legions, the number of Astartes from the Twelfth Legion is not large, but they were all solid and powerful reserve forces in the major legions. The regiment is an elite and brave spearhead in every cruel battle... Therefore, this bloodthirsty and disciplined team has never been welcomed by the nobles.
"I will definitely find out about this, sister."
As if he had discovered some key details, Horus quickly left the room after bidding a brief farewell to Elaine.
"Of course, brother."
Looking at the majestic back of Horus, the deep gilded eyes of the Mother of War Dogs seemed to be reflecting the red sand of Nuceria.
The distant flames of war are burning in it.
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