(Sorry guys, a thief broke into my house and stole a lot of stuff, please be a little patient until i recover a bit. thank you)
Lyon slowly removed his Helmet, revealing his face.
That face, once scarred by the traumas of war, now shone with a sacred radiance and looked even more resolute.
Lord Calgar squinted. He confirmed this was indeed Lyon, the Company Captain of the Fourth Company he knew, yet he felt that this Lyon was completely different from before.
His gaze lingered on Lyon's glittering golden new Power Armor for a few seconds, astonishment involuntary.
"This is the Power of the Emperor!" Lord Calgar scrutinized Lyon, a flicker of amazement in his eyes. "That Power Armor is truly magnificent!"
"And what about your old Power Armor?"
"It was recycled in my Transmutation Tablet. His place is so convenient, instant cash conversion, home pickup... wait, I'm mixing up channels."
Lord Calgar looked at Lyon's physique, which far surpassed that of an ordinary Astartes, and was filled with awe.
Even their revered Primarch, Roboute Guilliman, might be slightly inferior in size.
Lyon stood straight and performed the Aquila Sign for Lord Calgar, then spoke: "Lord Calgar, I have been chosen by the Emperor to be his Chosen Warrior."
"The Emperor personally performed Gene-Seed Augmentation on me." This was the explanation he had pre-arranged with Ian.
"Then, what are the Emperor's instructions?" Lord Calgar asked, his tone respectful.
"Conquer worlds, exterminate Xenos, save Mankind," Lyon answered concisely, his eyes firm.
Lord Calgar pondered for a moment. These instructions sounded no different from what they were already doing.
Just as Lord Calgar was thinking, a thought flashed through Lyon's mind, and the tranquil Power of Faith surged out from within him.
Golden light emanated from every inch of his skin, illuminating the entire room. He simultaneously activated the special organ implanted in his body, and immediately, a warm current spread outwards.
All the Ultramarines present felt a wave of comfort, as if they were immersed in a hot spring.
The old hidden injuries accumulated over years of combat began to slowly heal under this Power, and the spiritual abnormalities from the recent foray into the Immaterium were swept away.
Lord Calgar felt it most intensely. As the Warhammer-famous ICU War God, he had a large number of Mechanical Parts embedded in his body, and his remaining tissues were scarred.
At this moment, those long-aching old wounds began to recover, and even the connections between the mechanics and the flesh no longer throbbed.
"This is... the Emperor's Grace?" Lord Calgar looked at his body in disbelief.
Lord Calgar carefully scrutinized Lyon's attire. He had seen Custodians, and he noticed that while Lyon's armor resembled Custodian armor, there were distinct differences.
The armor material seemed more unique; beneath the metal surface, it was as if infinite Energy was contained.
"I must admit, I'm somewhat puzzled," Lord Calgar thought to himself. 'Conquer worlds, kill Xenos, save civilians... this is already our daily duty. The Emperor must have other instructions, mustn't he?'
Lyon's expression remained unchanged: "The Emperor believes the time is not yet right for some matters."
Lord Calgar nodded knowingly: "I understand. I've handled plenty of Classified Missions myself."
He paused, "For the Emperor to personally conduct the augmentation, this mission is certainly extraordinary. If you have need, I will assist you with all my strength."
"Thank you for your understanding, Lord Calgar," Lyon said sincerely.
Lord Calgar patted Lyon's chest. "Come, Chosen Warrior, we still have a tough battle to fight. The Xenos won't wait for us."
Next, Lord Calgar brought Lyon and the other brother warriors to the Command Center and activated the information receiver. The receiver displayed the destination: Kadaku planet.
[KADAKU]
[MX/44219/M/AE SECTOR]
[SIDIOS SYSTEM UNDER THE IMPERIUM]
[ENCRYPTED MESSAGE COMMENCING]
[AUTHORIZER: ARCHMAGOS NOCHIC BETA-12]
[KADAKU PLANET, SIDIOS SYSTEM IS UNDER ATTACK]
[THREAT: XENOS - TYRANIDS]
[EARLY INVASION]
[CEASE ALL BOMBARDMENT PREPARATIONS, AURORA PROJECT IS PRESENT]
[AURORA STRATEGIC VALUE - ABSOLUTE]
[IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FROM NEARBY FORCES.]
[SUBMITTED TO ASTROPATH RELAY STATION, HAIL THE OMNISSIAH, HAIL THE MACHINE GOD!]
Lord Calgar assembled the Company Captains in the Command Center. The projected image showed the complex terrain of the Kadaku planet's surface.
In the blue-lit three-dimensional map, dense red markers, signifying the Tyranid Swarm, covered various locations.
"This is the most densely packed area of the Swarm," Lord Calgar pointed forcefully to the center of the map. "We must break through this defense line to reach the stronghold and support the besieged forces."
He briefly deployed the combat plan, his gaze then falling upon the gold-armored giant sitting in the corner: "Brother Lyon, as the Emperor's personally chosen warrior, what are your thoughts on our deployment?"
Silence fell, and all the Ultramarines' eyes focused on Lyon.
No one present found it strange; a warrior personally manifested and augmented by the Emperor was naturally qualified to participate in tactical discussions.
Lyon stood up, his golden armor glistening under the lights.
He gazed at the tactical projection, remaining silent for a moment before saying: "The plan is feasible, but I request to take the lead."
Lyon clenched his fist, and golden light faintly shone from the seams of his armor. "I want to personally shove the heads of those bugs back into their Xenos."
The Warship gradually approached the Kadaku planet. Outside the viewport, dense masses of Tyranids covered the orbit. Their sheer number was suffocating, as if the entire planet was enveloped by a black, living carapace.
"The Xenos have occupied the entire outer space," the Comms Officer said with a solemn expression.
"Blast a path open," Lord Calgar ordered curtly.
The macro-cannons began charging, and blue-white arcs of electricity condensed at the muzzle. With a deafening roar, a thick beam of Energy tore through space, vaporizing swathes of Tyranids into ash.
The Warship quickly plunged into the cleared orbit.
The scene on the planet's surface gradually became clear. A large number of Imperial Auxiliaries were desperately holding their ground in the trenches, fighting against the endless Tyranid Swarm.
On a distant high ground, a squad of black-armored Astartes was also surrounded by the Tyranid Swarm, struggling to hold on.
Several massive Hive Tyrants had quietly approached them; they were the elite warriors of the Tyranids.
Lyon stared at the monitoring screen and suddenly recalled a crucial plot point.
If he remembered correctly, this should be the Emperor's Chosen, Khornate Daemon Prince Titus.
"Time is short, I'm heading down first." Lyon saluted Lord Calgar.
Without waiting for a response, he grabbed the Wrathful Power Halberd and hurled it forcefully towards the ground. The weapon transformed into a stream of light, shooting straight towards the Tyranid Swarm.
Then, to the astonishment of all present, Lyon did not choose to descend in a Drop Pod. He walked straight to the hatch and leaped out.
The golden figure was like a shooting star, like the Emperor's wrath plummeting to the world.