Chapter Seven: I Want to See Creed

On the war-torn surface of Cadia, a Chaos Terminator sprinted across ground blackened by battle. A giant clad in golden armor pursued him relentlessly. Terror surged within the Chaos Terminator, threatening to overwhelm him completely.

He was a veteran of the Black Legion, once a Son of Horus from that distant Age of Strife. He knew all too well the horror an original Primarch could unleash.

Just moments before, the rest of his squad had been slaughtered, one by one, by the Primarch now chasing him. They had stood no chance—those warriors, half-gods in the eyes of mortals, were dispatched as easily as mere men are cut down by Space Marines. The relentless footsteps closing in behind him battered his fraying nerves without mercy.

The footsteps were right at his back now. He could run no further. Turning abruptly, he opened fire with his bolter, a hail of explosive shells detonating harmlessly against the giant’s armor, deflected by the power field. In a flash of golden light, the power sword sliced through him at the waist; he never even saw the giant’s movement.

This was the last Chaos Space Marine that Wang Ming slew in this region. Retrieving his golden power sword, he strode toward the tunnel.

Within the tunnel, heavy weapons and Space Marines stood ready at the entrance, prepared to shred any Chaos foe who dared enter.

"Which Primarch is that, my lord?" asked Captain Serynthius of the Ultramarines, who had only recently been released by the Master of Miniatures. He turned to the nearby Custodian in golden armor. Even with his memories from the Great Crusade, he did not recognize this Primarch.

"I don’t know either. Perhaps one the Emperor never found during the Great Crusade," the Custodian replied, equally uncertain about the sudden appearance of this Primarch on the battlefield.

As Serynthius and the Custodian spoke, the echoing sound of footsteps approached from the tunnel entrance, immediately putting every Imperial warrior present on high alert.

A giant slowly emerged from the entryway, his golden power armor radiating a sacred glow under the tunnel’s lights. The imposing stature of the Emperor’s gene-son rekindled hope in the hearts of the Imperials present—hope long lost in the ferocity of war. As one, mortals and Space Marines alike dropped to one knee, praising the holy scion of the Emperor.

"Send someone to take me to Lord Castellan Creed," Wang Ming said as he approached the Custodian. The Custodian swiftly translated his words for the Imperial soldiers behind him.

A soldier promptly stepped forward, saluted Wang Ming with the sign of the Aquila, and led Wang Ming and the Custodian deeper into the tunnel.

As Wang Ming walked through the passageway, he finally saw the true forms of the people and things of the 40k universe. Massive, thick blast doors partitioned each section, isolating the tunnel’s inner and outer layers. At every turn, every deeper entrance, the Astra Militarum or Battle Sisters stood vigilant guard. Heavy weapons bristled before the blast doors, defending Cadia’s last hope.

Guided by the soldier, Wang Ming passed through the final blast door and entered the command chamber of Lord Castellan Creed.

"We praise you, great Primarch! Thank you for supporting Cadia," the assembled officers declared, saluting with the Aquila as Wang Ming entered.

Wang Ming gestured for the officers to lower their hands, then, accompanied by the Custodian, walked directly to Lord Castellan Creed in the center.

"Lord Creed, we must evacuate Cadia immediately," Wang Ming said, meeting the Castellan’s gaze, his eyes marked with Cadia’s iconic purple hue. His words left everyone present stunned.

The universe of 40k was simply too vast.