Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 645 Various Parties in the Empire
The defeat of the Imperial Sons' main fleet in the Medusa sector, especially the fall of the corrupted Primarch Vograim—which, in the official records of the Empire and in the minds of billions of believers, was utter and final destruction—was like a blazing spear of light tearing through the eternal night, its brilliance instantly piercing the despair that shrouded the Empire.

From the golden halls where the High Lords of Holy Terra convened, to the silent watchers gazing into the void at the outposts on the outskirts of Alterama, and to countless worlds struggling under the onslaught of Chaos, news of victory resounded with an almost miraculous speed and power.

"The Iron Hand... Primarch Feralus Manus... Guided by the Emperor, he slew the traitor Forgrim at Medusa!"

The Imperial propaganda machine and the preachers of the state religion declared without a doubt, and without any doubt, that the existence of Fugen, his madness, his decadent art, and his morbid pursuit of the limits of the senses, had been utterly annihilated by the Emperor’s inviolable will and the merciless iron fist of his loyal Primarch.

The golden holy flames of the Emperor's Sword are hailed as the direct manifestation of the purifying power of the Lord of Mankind, and Felus Manus is the perfect agent to carry out this final judgment.

The idea that the Demon Prince might be reborn from the corrupt tides of the Warp—a common-sense notion that has plunged the Empire into despair countless times—is deliberately forgotten or even refuted in the current frenzy of ecstasy and the power of faith.

On a real-world cosmic level, this was the most thorough and inspiring victory the Empire had ever achieved against the traitorous Primarch since the Horus Rebellion.

Feralus Manus's reputation reached its zenith in this battle; she was no longer merely a returning ancient legend, but a living deity who carried out the emperor's will, vanquished the wicked, and turned the tide.

The glory of the Steel Hand Legion soared to its zenith, and the regret and sorrow on the Istvan 5 ten thousand years ago seemed to find solemn redemption in this glorious victory.

Their names are inextricably linked to resilience, loyalty, and unparalleled power blessed by the Emperor and guided by the Primarch.

The Empire's reaction was like a giant ingot thrown into a furnace, bursting forth with complex and multi-layered cracks amidst intense light and heat.

In Holy Terra, the High Lord Council must, and indeed cannot, adorn this victory with the grandest and most solemn ceremony.

The Golden Hall echoed with praise for Feralas and the Tenth Legion, with official documents hailing the Battle of Medusa as "a manifestation of the Emperor's divine will" and "an example of the Primarchs' return to purify the galaxy."

However, behind the smooth marble walls and the flashing Flyman data screens, the air of power became thick and tense.

A Primarch who not only possesses an ancient title but also wields such terrifying power and has proven his worth is a fundamental challenge to the ruling order that has existed for millennia.

Public questioning, like that of Judge Warren, has completely lost its appeal and has even become synonymous with political incorrectness.

But the scrutiny, apprehension, and scheming behind the scenes are growing exponentially.

Wooing, appeasement, checks and balances, infiltration... the ancient political game has quietly restarted in the shadow of Terra in new forms and with higher stakes.

Every Highlord is pondering how to incorporate this sudden and powerful force into their own game, or at least ensure that it doesn't overturn their own chessboard.

The state religion embraced the victory with a wave of fervor that swept across the entire empire.

The Battle of Medusa was instantly canonized and sanctified, incorporated into daily prayers and sermons. The image of Pharius Manus was quickly imbued with a divine aura; she was depicted as the emperor's thunderbolt traversing the earth, her forge hammer a tool for carrying out divine punishment.

Countless worlds held grand thanksgiving masses, with believers weeping and cheering for the Emperor's great achievements and His "Iron Saints".

The state religion attempted to seize this opportunity to seamlessly embed the Primarch's authority into its own theocracy, interpreting her victory as an inevitable reward for unwavering faith in the Emperor, thereby channeling this powerful new force towards consolidating the Church's authority itself.

However, beneath this pious clamor, some more perceptive high priests harbored concerns: would a true, living Primarch herself become a new focal point of faith that was too powerful, or even deviated from the doctrines of the State Church?
The Mechanicus's reaction was characterized by the complex mindset typical of technocrats, a mixture of extreme interest and deep concern.

The profound involvement of the Great Sage Belisarius Caul, along with the stasis field technology that appeared briefly but was ultimately destroyed—whose principles remained strictly confidential, yet had already stirred the desire of every Tech Priest to explore it further—and the astonishing productivity and resilience unleashed by the close integration of the Medusa Forge world and the Legion, all these factors combined to plunge Mars and its associated worlds into a fierce internal debate.

On the one hand, requests for technical exchanges and cooperation proposals from Medusa flooded in, with many great sages eager to get a share and even peek into the unconventional edges of technology.

On the other hand, conservatives and purists are deeply wary of this, worrying about the connection with alien technology or even more unspeakable forces, and believing that such dangerous exploration is a potential betrayal of the Ominysiah creed.

Beneath the surface of enthusiastic cooperation, the relationship between the Cult of Mechanics and the Tenth Legion concealed profound disagreements regarding technological approaches and the purity of their beliefs.

For the Astartes Chapter and the Imperial Defense Forces who had shed blood and sacrificed their lives in the desperate battles across the vast territories, Medusa's victory was nothing short of a powerful stimulant for the Star Language.

It powerfully proves that the Primarchs are not just distant legends; they have truly returned and possess the might to annihilate the Primarchs and turn the tide of history.

This flame of hope ignited the hearts of countless soldiers, and many fronts on the verge of collapse regained their belief in perseverance.

Many chapters—especially those whose fathers have not yet returned—are more actively engaged in the great mission of finding the Primarch, yearning to recreate the glory of Medusa.

At this moment, Feralus Manus has become an invisible beacon and a unifying force for all loyalists; her very existence is a powerful call to action.

However, beneath the dazzling halo of victory, undercurrents were surging deep within the foundations of the empire.

Old skeptics may have fallen silent and retreated, but new observers, potential challengers, and deeply fearful individuals are still emerging in the shadows.

Feralus and the unstoppable force of change she represents have been thrust into the very center of the galactic power struggle by this unprecedented victory.

Endless glory and potential storms converge on her steely shoulders.

(End of this chapter)