The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Phalanx, the largest known space fortress of the Human Imperium, and the current home of the Imperial Fists Chapter.

It floats in the orbit of Terra, like a silent and steadfast sentinel, its towering spires piercing the stars, reflecting the light of the sun. Vast docks and flight decks extend from all sides of it. The countless fortresses and warships that Zoshyan had seen in the past were insignificant in comparison. Even Mars and Jupiter did not have such magnificent creations. The moon, in the same orbit, seemed slightly smaller in comparison.

The origin of this massive space fortress is well known. When Dorn first met the Emperor, the Primarch of the Imperial Fists, Dorn, gifted the Phalanx to the Emperor, who later returned it to Dorn. Since then, it has proudly served the Imperium and the Imperial Fists Legion. This immense interstellar fortress is fully capable of autonomous movement and can traverse the Warp. The warriors of the Seventh Legion often traveled aboard it throughout the galaxy during the Great Crusade.

In countless archives and descriptions, the Phalanx is not only an extremely sturdy fortress but also an invincible war machine. Its firepower is comparable to an entire expedition fleet and can single-handedly sweep across an entire star system.

At the height of the Horus Heresy, when the traitors launched their attack on Terra and the Imperial Palace, the Phalanx, already heavily damaged, had to leave Terra's orbit and retreat to the outer reaches of the Solar System, thus avoiding destruction.

However, when viewed now, the Phalanx appears somewhat dim. Many of its areas are shrouded in complete darkness, most of its docks are closed, and less than half of its gun emplacements are active and guarding the surroundings. A considerable number of gun emplacements hang limply, like dead plants, in their positions.

Ten thousand years of constant vigilance and war have inevitably taken their toll on the Phalanx. Despite the Imperial Fists' continuous efforts to maintain it, maintaining a former Legion weapon with just one Chapter is too difficult and strained. As time passes, more and more powerful fortress systems fail, and the skills required to repair them have long disappeared from the Tech-Marines' databases.

Once, the Phalanx shone like a giant among the stars, but now its peak is long past, like a decrepit knight stubbornly guarding a dilapidated castle—just like the Imperium itself.

However, today the Phalanx is even dimmer than before.

Because it has lost another knight, a battle-scarred knight who watched over humanity and the sons of Dorn in the political vortex of Terra in the dark 41st millennium.

Clunk, clunk—

Accompanied by the screeching of metal gates, the black-robed servants on both sides of the corridor bowed their heads. Then, two servo-skulls carrying incense burners floated out, followed by heavy footsteps.

Zoshyan, wearing power armor and a black cloak, appeared with a solemn expression in the light, followed by the Captains of the Chapter, and then the warriors. Each person's armor was covered with a black gauze cloak, representing the purpose of their trip—

Mourning.

They are now in the waiting area behind the Phalanx's airlock. From the outside, one might not be able to directly appreciate its vastness and grandeur, but upon entering, each Space Marine is amazed by the scale of this ancient fortress.

This waiting area alone might be the size of their monastery-fortress on Nayshahn IV. Hanging from the rafters, almost invisible from the deck, are the Imperial Fists' retired aircraft from the Legion era to the present, preserved and displayed to commemorate past victories and those who fought and died in these aircraft.

Between the airlock and the corridor leading to the foredeck, hang enormous banners, each four meters wide and eight meters high, representing each fighting company of the Imperial Fists, each with its own unique decoration of heraldry and prayers.

Above the banners of the fighting companies is an even larger Chapter banner, with a golden background inlaid with gleaming black and blood red, inscribed with 'Ⅶ'—remembering the origin of the Emperor's Seventh Legion in the Great Crusade.

Passing through the foredeck leads to the Hall of Remembrance, which is a hundred meters high. The dome is decorated with the victories of the Legion and Chapter, and the top of the dome has a 30-meter-wide diamond. The walls have beautiful reliefs, and the marble floor is decorated with Imperial Fists' inlaid patterns. Ancient relics are placed on the walls, as well as huge murals depicting famous battles in the chronicles of the Imperial Fists. Some ancient weapons and armor date back to the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. They are permanently preserved, piously displayed after being deprived of the possibility of use by the years, each weapon and armor detailed with its origin.

At the other end of the Hall of Remembrance is a huge staircase. The hall is filled with various trophies, from the heads of huge alien beasts to the weapons and armor of enemies, all to demonstrate the past glory of the Seventh Legion and the Imperial Fists.

Finally, the procession arrived at the Heart of Sigismund, which is also the center of the Phalanx. It was once the strategic room where the Imperial Fists Legion executed its war plans, with a width of over one kilometer. It is surrounded by various murals and banners, and there are also huge statues of the Primarch.

In the Chapter era, it is also the place where the Imperial Fists hold major events.

At this time, the warriors of all companies of the Imperial Fists are gathered here, helmets tucked under their arms, gathered around the statue of the Primarch, and under the statue of the Primarch is a marble coffin.

When the Space Marines arrived, all the warriors of the Imperial Fists focused their attention on him.

Zoshyan walked forward solemnly, holding a bouquet of flowers taken from his cloak, specially prepared by him on Jupiter, composed of yellow and white.

Then he walked to the coffin. In the misty haze, a warrior with a scarred face lay quietly in the coffin, wearing a simple white robe, his hands clasped tightly on a sword.

Zoshyan bowed his head and closed his eyes. He did not expect that his first meeting with this predecessor, who had helped him so much at the Blade Feast, would be their last. When they met again, they would be separated forever. He had originally wanted to take the opportunity of this trip to Terra to catch up with him.

With sadness, he stepped forward and placed the flowers on the sword.

"Chapter Master Pew, your duty is done, rest in peace."

Then, the warriors of the Imperial Fists struck their breastplates heavily with their fists, three times in total.

Immediately afterward, the servants carried the coffin away. It will briefly stay in the temporary storage area of the Phalanx before being sent to the crypt under the Bhab Bastion on Terra, to be buried with many of the Imperial Fists' predecessors.

At this time, Zoshyan finally knew who the new Chapter Master of the Imperial Fists was, but it was not Lysander as he had guessed, but the former Second Company Captain, Vorn Hagan!

Zoshyan did not inquire about what had happened in between, but he guessed that Lysander himself might have given up the position of Chapter Master. In the years of expedition in the Maelstrom, Zoshyan had discovered that Lysander seemed to have an extraordinary hatred for the Iron Warriors, a hatred far more intense than that of other Imperial Fists warriors—

Perhaps Lysander had made revenge his lifelong mission, which made him unable to shoulder the responsibility of leading the Chapter.

Of course, these were all Zoshyan's own guesses.

"Chapter Master Zoshyan, Chapter Master Pew often praised your ability and personal charm. He believed that you are the most outstanding son of Dorn in this millennium. To be honest, this evaluation makes me a little jealous."

When Vorn Hagan shook hands with Zoshyan and said these words, Zoshyan couldn't help but squeeze out a smile. Although this new Chapter Master also seemed unsmiling, he was not a rigid person.

Zoshyan replied softly:

"All as the Emperor wills."

Vorn Hagan had the standard Imperial Fists face, with clear-cut lines like a knife and axe, and his eyes were always very calm. He had served as the Second Company Captain of the Imperial Fists for more than three hundred years, and his influence was only second to Lysander. (Actually, Lao Mo checked for a long time and couldn't find out which company Vorn Hagan was previously the Captain of, so he can only infer that he was the Second Company Captain, because To' Galladon was suddenly transferred from the Third Company to the Second Company to be the Captain at some point. This is the only personnel change that can be explained.)

Then he introduced Zoshyan to the other leadership of the Imperial Fists, namely the new Second Company Captain To' Galladon, Third Company Captain Isara, Fourth Company Captain Aralarus Lidoro, Fifth Company Captain Delavatres Pharnie, Sixth Company Captain Antalos, Seventh Company Captain Regor Dexion, Eighth Company Captain Quait Karam, Ninth Company Captain Kaheren, Tenth Company Captain Lucien, as well as the Reclusiarch, the Chief Librarian, and others.

Afterward, Zoshyan had a private three-person meeting with Lysander and Vorn Hagan, mainly to explain the current situation of Terra, especially the High Lords.

It can be said that Pew's death was very unfortunate. Originally, as a member of the High Lords of Terra, he could have exerted influence in this situation to help Zoshyan, but with his passing, the current Chapter Master Vorn Hagan, being newly appointed, has little influence in the political games of Terra. After all, Pew's political influence has not been inherited.

It is equivalent to saying that the Imperial Fists can now provide very little political help to Zoshyan.

Zoshyan was not surprised by this situation, but his keen political sense smelled a hint of strangeness, and when he thought of the sudden reversal of the High Lords' matter regarding the Mantis Warriors, he quickly realized that this was by no means an isolated incident. There are nine fixed seats on the High Lords' council, and only three are non-fixed. After Pew's death, the non-fixed seat he held will obviously be taken away, and such actions are often accompanied by political attacks. The Mantis Warriors incident is just a signal.

Later, I am afraid there will be more things.

However, from Zoshyan's observation, Vorn Hagan probably has no intention of inheriting Pew's political assets. His ideas for the future of the Imperial Fists are more focused on how to fight and crusade, so he did not actively mention these things.