The Empire of the Multiverse

Chapter 66 - Aftermath

In the aftermath of their Primarch's fall, the Dark Angels stood resolute amidst the cosmic battlefield. The once-formidable Korrk forces, bereft of their Eldranthii allies, found themselves isolated and vulnerable. The Imperium, now focused with singular determination, unleashed its full might upon the remaining Korrk legions.

Imperial ranged weapons, sleek starships, and the

unyielding resolve of the Astartes were now all trained upon the massive Korrk, their colossal figures now a symbol of impending doom. The Imperium's tactics, honed through centuries of warfare, proved devastating. The Korrks, once fierce and relentless, now faced a calculated and merciless onslaught.

The Korrks, inherently warlike, lacked the strategic acumen to adapt once their vehicles and artillery were obliterated. In the absence of their Warbosses' guidance, chaos ensued among their ranks. Some tried in vain to rally their brethren, only to meet a swift end at the hands of the Imperial forces.

A deadly dance unfolded across the cosmic expanse. The Korrks, driven by instinct, charged forward heedlessly, their once-mighty force reduced to a mere shadow of its former self. The Imperial forces, backed by the advanced technology of the Men of Iron and the unwavering discipline of the Astartes, orchestrated a symphony of destruction. Gauss flayers hummed with deadly precision, reducing the Korrks to nothing more than blue ash drifting in the cosmic void.

The Carolis system and its neighboring defensive lines were cleansed of the Korrk menace. Victory, hard-earned and bittersweet, belonged to the Imperium. Yet, amidst the triumph, the memory of their fallen Primarch weighed heavily on the hearts of the Dark Angels. As the cosmic dust settled, the Imperium's warriors stood as a testament to their resilience, their determination, and their unyielding spirit. The stars above bore witness to their victory and the sacrifices made in the name of the Imperium Dominus.

66.2 Lelouch's plan

Lelouch, the Grand Strategist of the Imperium Dominus, stood in the command center of Genesis Prime, where holograms displayed the intricate dance of forces across the universe. The icons of each Primarch represented their respective armies and movements. The recent loss of his nephew, Valerian, cast a shadow over his thoughts, a testament to the gravity of the threat posed by the Star Gods.

As the Herrscher of Reason, Lelouch understood the Herrschers' ascension, as he himself was a Herrscher, the embodiment of human ingenuity and progress. His power allowed him to utilize and create anything born of human progress. His gaze shifted to Novastra, his niece, leading her forces to intercept the approaching Korrk and Eldranthii fleet. Their target was the Qualaras Intergalactic System, a critical production hub for Imperial vehicles and starships. Protecting this system was paramount.

Lelouch's mind danced between the Primarchs and their coordinated movements, as well as the relentless advance of the Korrks and Eldranthii. The Imperium had surveillance over the entire universe, but orchestrating their defenses without creating imbalances was a formidable task.

In the midst of this monumental conflict, Lelouch couldn't help but reflect on the broader implications. The Korrks had already secured multiple galaxies outside of Imperial territory. Type 3 civilizations could put up a fight, but Type 2 and below were at a severe disadvantage. The fate of these conquered galaxies and their inhabitants weighed on Lelouch's mind, contemplating the Imperium's approach to them.

Lelouch's musings delved deeper into the nature of conflict and evolution in the universe. The Old Ones, as the First Civilization, had their pride, and the rise of a younger race such as the Imperium likely wounded that pride. Lelouch recognized the harsh reality that the universe operated on a survival-of-the-fittest principle. Those outdated would be swept away by the inexorable march of time.

"The War in Heaven," Lelouch murmured to himself, a phrase laden with significance. It represented the final hurdle before the Imperium could secure its dominion over its own territory. Once the backyard was safeguarded, the Imperium could turn its gaze toward the multiverse, as the Primarchs had done in the early days of the Imperium. However, the emergence of the Old Ones had halted all expeditions to other universes, redirecting their focus to combat this existential threat. The War in Heaven was the ultimate test, the crucible through which the fate of the Imperium would be decided.

66.3 Novastra Wolfsbane

In the vast expanse of space, Novastra Wolfsbane, the fearless Primarch, commanded her forces with an iron will. Her flagship, the Ulfhjarta, a Herrscher-class Mothership, stood at the heart of her armada, ready to face the impending threat of the Korrk and Eldranthii Armada. As her fleet moved swiftly through the cosmos, she addressed her Wolflords and Cosmic Militarum with steely determination.

"Attention all Wolflords and Cosmic Militarum, our targets are the Eldranthii Craftworlds and Starships. Leave the Korrks to the Men of Iron. Silver-02, take command of your brethren," Novastra commanded. The Man of Silver-02 acknowledged her orders promptly, ready to lead their forces into battle.

The ambush location was set, thousands of light years away from the approaching Korrk and Eldranthii Armada. Novastra's strategic acumen was at play as she positioned her forces, aiming to trap the enemy. As the prey crossed the 10 light-year mark, Novastra issued the order.

"All units, take positions. The moment the prey crosses the 10 light-year mark, light them up. Lock the space of this sector, force them out of their FTLs," Novastra's voice resonated with authority.

Hours later, the Korrk and Eldranthii Armada, caught in the trap, were forced out of their Faster-Than-Light travel. The ambush was executed flawlessly, and Novastra's armada unleashed a concentrated barrage upon the unsuspecting enemy. But Novastra, ever the strategist, had an additional surprise in store.

"Let's test out the new function the Artificers installed on our ships," she declared. The Primarch ordered her units to use the Sacrophis, a devastating weapon designed to induce terror, paralysis, and nightmarish visions. The effects washed over the enemy fleet, causing chaos among the Korrks and Eldranthii.

However, amidst the battle, Novastra sensed a disturbance in the cosmic forces. Shadows began to materialize out of the void, and Novastra's keen senses alerted her to the presence of a Star God, the very beings that had brought down her brother, Valerian.

"I suppose it's my turn," Novastra muttered, her wolf-like eyes gleaming with determination. The appearance of the Star God only fueled her resolve. With her gaze fixed on the approaching menace, Novastra Wolfsbane prepared herself for the battle of a lifetime, ready to tear her prey apart with unmatched ferocity.

Novastra Wolfsbane, the relentless Primarch, emerged from her mothership, her silver hair cascading over her combat skin, her eyes gleaming with predatory anticipation. Her first captain, Logan, stood at attention, his loyalty unwavering. Novastra's voice cut through the tension of the moment as she issued her command.

"Logan, take command. Shred our prey apart. I have a great beast to hunt," she declared, her words resonating with the weight of her purpose.

"Yes, Great Mother. May your Hunt go well," Logan replied, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.

With purposeful steps, Novastra stepped onto the void of space, her chosen weapons, Phase Claws, glinting with deadly precision. As the Herrscher of the Hunt, she possessed unparalleled tracking abilities, an innate sense that could pierce any cloak of invisibility or anti-tracking methods. Her senses honed in on her target, the Star God that had dared to challenge her.

"Come out, I can see you," she called out, her gaze sharp and unwavering. To her left, the Star God materialized, taking on the form of a woman. Its voice dripped with arrogance and mockery.

"What a cute dog," the Star God sneered, its words laced with condescension. "Nocturna, the Shadow Enchantress, is the name. Care to share yours, Primarch?" it taunted, underestimating the Primarch before it.

"Novastra," she replied, her response swift and decisive. Without a moment's hesitation, she lunged forward, her Phase Claw slicing through the void. The Star God's form wavered as Novastra's attack struck true, leaving a gaping gash in its steel body.

"How rude... as expected from a beast," Nocturna scoffed, her form barely visible amidst the shifting shadows. With a swift gesture, she conjured pillars of shadow tendrils, each infused with the darkness of the void. The tendrils lunged at Novastra, coiling and striking like serpents made of night. But Novastra was no ordinary prey; she was the apex predator of the cosmos.

Novastra's response was swift and deadly. With unmatched precision and speed, she tore apart every shadowy construct that dared to approach her. Her movements were a blur, her claws slashing through the darkness as if it were mere mist. Even in the depths of the cosmic void, where light dared not tread, her predatory instincts guided her.

Nocturna, although a deity of shadows, found herself outmatched. Her attempts to ensnare Novastra were futile; the Primarch moved at a speed that seemed to defy the very laws of the universe. Nocturna attempted to conceal herself within the darkness, hoping to evade Novastra's relentless assault. But the Herrscher of the Hunt was relentless.

A low growl echoed through the void as Novastra closed in. Nocturna's attempts at evasion became a desperate struggle for survival. In a daring move, she attempted to strike back, her form flickering like a wraith. Yet, Novastra's claws found their mark, leaving a deep gash on Nocturna's left cheek.

Nocturna, the Shadow Enchantress, unleashed a barrage of shadow tendrils, dark pulses, and eldritch shadow monsters in an attempt to overwhelm Novastra. However, the Herrscher of the Hunt proved to be an apex predator in her own right. Her speed was blinding, and she tore through the constructs and shadows with ease, like a creature at the top of the food chain.

Nocturna, while agile, found it difficult to keep pace with Novastra. The Primarch's relentless pursuit and precision made her a formidable adversary. Nocturna attempted to hide within the shadows, but even darkness couldn't shield her from Novastra's relentless assault. A slash on Nocturna's left cheek bore witness to Novastra's unerring claws.

As the battle raged on, Nocturna attempted to ensnare Novastra with a black hole, a desperate bid to crush her within its gravitational grip. However, Novastra's mastery of her powers allowed her to distance herself from the perilous void. With a seamless transition from melee to ranged combat, Novastra's claws transformed into a rifle. She took careful aim and fired a bullet imbued with the essence of causality. The bullet pierced through the black hole and shattered Nocturna's limb, an unexpected turn in the confrontation between the Primarch and the Star God.

Novastra's voice echoed through the emptiness, her tone filled with a mix of amusement and confidence. "Perhaps if you had chosen an organic vessel, you might have acquired more power and control over darkness. But nature's limitations have confined you, and sadly for you, we've had a mismatch. Against someone like Titus, you might have forced him into ascension to stand a chance. But against me, you have nowhere to hide."

Nocturna, realizing the futility of her shadowy tactics against the Primarch, reverted to a more primal approach. She channeled raw cosmic energy, strengthening her steel body and launching torrents of energy attacks at Novastra. To Novastra's delight, her foe had chosen to retaliate directly, engaging in a battle of raw power.

"That's it, prey that fights back," Novastra remarked, her grin reflecting her primal joy in the hunt.

In the cosmic arena, the Primarch and the Star God clashed, their energies colliding in a symphony of chaos. Nocturna, drawing from the very energies that birthed stars and galaxies, unleashed her might upon Novastra. The surrounding galaxies trembled in response, as if the universe itself quivered at their confrontation. The clash of Honkai and cosmic energies distorted reality, warping it as the two beings manipulated the very laws of existence to suit their needs.

Amidst this cosmic struggle, Novastra employed her mastery over causality. She wove temporal traps throughout the vast emptiness of space, anticipating Nocturna's moves before she made them. Each attack that came her way triggered a complex chain reaction of causality, enabling Novastra to analyze and reverse the harm, sending it back to its source. It was a dance of fate and consequence, a battle fought not just in the physical realm but in the intricate threads of time itself.

Nocturna, recognizing the potency of Novastra's temporal manipulation, sought to counter it by actively bending reality. The very laws of physics wavered under the strain of their conflict, as both beings pushed the boundaries of their power, testing the limits of what the universe could endure.

Nocturna found herself struggling against the Herrscher's relentless onslaught. Novastra's control over causality was formidable, yet Nocturna, the cunning Shadow Enchantress, managed to stave off the Primarch's attacks by warping space around her, creating a shifting shield of distorted reality. However, just when Nocturna thought she had gained the upper hand, Novastra's powers took an unexpected turn.

With an enigmatic smile, Novastra's form fragmented into five identical copies, her voice echoing around Nocturna like the howl of a pack of wolves. "What kind of Wolf would I be without a Pack?" she teased, her words carried on the cosmic winds. In perfect synchronization, the five Novastras attacked from all sides, overwhelming Nocturna and making her attempts to warp space more chaotic and desperate.

Amidst the onslaught, a subtle step in a certain direction led Nocturna right into one of Novastra's cleverly laid temporal traps. Time itself seemed to snare the Star God, freezing her in a moment that allowed Novastra to strike. With a swift and precise movement, Novastra seized Nocturna, tearing off her steel limb and rending her ethereal form. The clash ended in a shower of cosmic sparks as Nocturna's steel body and soul were torn asunder, leaving behind nothing but fragmented ashes.

As the battle concluded, Novastra stood amidst the fading echoes of the cosmic struggle. Her silver hair billowed around her helmeted face, and her eyes, like those of a predator, scanned the remnants of her fallen foe. Yet, amidst the victory, Novastra's mind raced with questions.

"What kind of Star God was Valerian fighting that led to his fall?" she pondered, her thoughts delving into the mysteries of cosmic beings. Observing the shattered remnants of Nocturna, Novastra drew a conclusion: this Star God had been formidable, yet not on the scale of the adversary who had faced her brother. Perhaps it was a matter of matchups, or perhaps the cosmos was simply a tapestry of unpredictable battles and outcomes.

66.4 The Interception

In the vast expanse of space, chaos reigned as the clash between the Imperium's forces and the Korrk Eldranthii Armada escalated. The Eldranthii, with their enigmatic ability to manipulate wormholes, attempted to exploit this advantage, infiltrating Imperial ships through these cosmic conduits. However, the Imperium was quick to respond. As soon as the telltale signs of Eldranthii wormholes were detected, swift counter-boarding operations were launched.

Within the labyrinthine halls of Imperial starships, fierce close-quarters combat ensued. Astartes of the Space Wolves, known for their ferocity and valor, led counter-boarding parties, engaging Eldranthii intruders in brutal melee. The clash of blades and the crackle of energy weapons reverberated through the metal corridors, echoing the intensity of the larger battle taking place in the void.

The Eldranthii's advantage quickly turned into a double-edged sword. Their attempted infiltration met swift resistance, with the Space Wolves proving their prowess not just on the battlefield but also in the tight confines of starship interiors. The Eldranthii's exotic technology and psionic abilities clashed with the Space Wolves' raw determination and superior combat skills, resulting in intense and visceral skirmishes that decided the fate of Imperial ships.

Outside, in the vast cosmic arena, Armada battled Armada. Eldranthii ships, resplendent with alien designs and technologies, clashed against the formidable might of Imperial vessels. Explosions lit up the dark void as ships from both sides met their fiery demise. Quasar swarms and Imperial fighters weaved intricate patterns in the vastness of space, engaging in dogfights with the Eldranthii and Korrk fighters. It was a chaotic dance of starfighters, where the fate of battles hung in the balance of split-second decisions and precise maneuvers.

Every minute, amidst the chaotic cacophony of battle, Eldranthii ships exploded in bursts of light, Imperial vessels burned and were shot down, and the void of space became a battleground where the clash of civilizations played out on a cosmic scale. The war in the stars raged unabated, a symphony of destruction and determination echoing through the emptiness of space.

In the wake of the starry battlefield, amidst the drifting debris and the fading echoes of cosmic conflict, Novastra moved with swift purpose. Her armored form cut through starships, energy shields, and steel hulls alike, displaying an unmatched power and finesse. With each swipe of her claws, entire starships were severed in half, their once-imposing structures reduced to shattered remnants in the vastness of space.

As she gracefully maneuvered through the remnants of the battle, Novastra's triumph was tinged with a bitter realization. The victory, hard-earned and monumental, was overshadowed by the urgency of a new threat. Lelouch's voice resonated in her helmet, his words cutting through the aftermath of battle with grim urgency.

"Novastra, congratulations on the victory, but please proceed to the Lower Levels of the Imperium. Korrks managed to grab a foothold. Your mission: exterminatus every galaxy infested with the Korrks. We can clean it up, but it will take time—time we do not have. The Eldranthii and Korrk Armadas are simultaneously attacking everywhere. We can create new galaxies anew in the place of the exterminated ones, but first, there is victory."

The weight of Lelouch's words settled heavily upon Novastra's shoulders. Victory, it seemed, was not a moment to savor, but a brief respite before the next battle, the next mission. With a determined nod, Novastra prepared herself for the arduous task ahead. The fate of galaxies rested on her shoulders, and she would carry out her duty with the same ferocity and determination that had marked her actions in the previous battle. As she propelled herself towards the Lower Levels of the Imperium, her mind focused on the task at hand, unwavering in her resolve to cleanse the galaxies of the Korrk infestation, even in the face of overwhelming odds. The hunt, it seemed, was far from over.