The last black crusade

by ThatRarityIsaSpy

The calm before the storm

In his stateroom, Abaddon got up. Time to flee Cadia and go launch a crusade against the Imperium again with his million or so chaos space marines!
Going to the bathroom. He began to brush his teeth. Nurgle always made his breath smell bad enough to kill plague marines in the morning. Luckily, Tzeentch's and Slannesh's toothpaste would be enough to drive that stench away and make his teeth smell good with a good shine.
Deciding he could use a few caffeine pills he opened the door to his medicine cabinet where he kept his pills.
And met face to face, with the barrel of a baneblade............
"CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!"
And then Abaddon woke up. Realizing it was just a dream. Though he was rather hesitant about going to the bathroom to brush his teeth and decided he could skip the caffeine pills. No telling if his archenemy Creed hid a baneblade or a payload of explosives in there.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
"Remain vigilant." Cyrus said into the vox as he watched his scouts take aim.

"Taking bets now, who thinks I can clip the wings off of that changeling?" One of his scouts said.

"If you miss, you clean my kit. If you make it, I clean yours."

"Deal!"

BLAM*

The insect-like creature fell to the ground giving screeches of pain.

"Good shot. Only thing is, you got one catch, and the rest of them got away." Cyrus said gesturing at the rest of the fleeing changelings.

"Ummmmmm............"

"Nevermind. We're done anyways." The captain of the tenth company got up with his two students. Packing up their gear, they left the screaming creature in the dust and headed on back.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

"2.78 more weeks until predicted day of Abaddon's next black crusade." Martellus said.

"Great. Are we ready?"

"By my calculations, there is a going to be a...."

"On second thought. I don't want to know." Diomedes said.
Knowledge was power and all, but sometimes, there was just things no one wanted to know. Especially if the chances of winning would be low.
Like REALLY low.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ From atop of the golden throne, the Emperor watched as Vulkan dropped off the remainder of the goods he had asked for. The final delivery was the most important.
Adamantium, Ceramite, Plasteel, Equestrian crystal and a ton of shards of harmony.
Still a top the golden throne, Vulkan wondered exactly his father would do with them, since he had him place the materials in a empty room.
On second thought, since the moment he stepped out he heard metal hitting metal, he realized he probably had an idea what he was going to do with the materials after all.

The Emperor looked at Celestia who through her concentration, could not take the time to look back. Though, she would have plenty of time to do that later.
The Emperor, after almost one year of under this, almost had no need for the cybernetics within the golden throne anymore. (Save for the fact he still has no heart....)
Over time, he gained things that he had been lost to him. His severed arm now regrew and felt even better than it's last one. Both his eyes grew back, his lost organs, and pieces of bone and flesh that had been shattered during the battle with Horus.
And of course, with his new found strength. He had once again was able to command his Imperium. It had hardly been a year, but yet he was already made many popular reforms amongst his Imperium.
He wished not to be treated like a god, yet for reasons unbeknownst to him, despite him explicitly saying that he didn't want to be treated like a god, he still was. And his rebirth now meant that Terra was even more flooded with pilgrims than it normally was.
Though, some concession did happen at this. One thousand unfortunate psykers no longer needed to be sacrificed to him now that his body could support itself, and the machines that had kept him alive for so long that were failing anyways were no longer needed.
Though as of this moment, he still lacked a heart, meaning he still required something to serve as an artificial heart when Luna and Celestia switched with one another on who got to continue repairing his body.
And now, in due time, he would be once again fit enough to rise from his throne and do what is needed. As of now, he sat back and waited as Malcador continued to restore his body.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
"It's not usually this silent." Thule remarked watching his returning brothers. "I used to hear animals all the time in the Everfree."

"Not anymore." Twilight said shaking her head. "They sense it too. They know what's coming. The entire world is quiet. It's only the calm before the storm."

"Abaddon?"

"That's his name? Yes. He's coming. Along with his army. He's coming to destroy Equestria."

"This world is easily the crown jewel of any sector it plants itself in." Thule said looking around, admiring the Equestrian landscape. "But when Abaddon comes, it will not be to paradise, for the bold soldiers of the Emperor will give him hell. Abaddon can taste his final victory. He will savor consuming this world. But we, will ensure he chokes on it."

"I hope that is the case....." Twilight said. Though she hated the idea of Equestria turning into a hellscape similar to the one Thule described about Demios during his Kronus campaign. That's the mark of chaos right there. Hopefully, the elements, the tree of harmony and the souls of every pony will keep that taint out.

"If we fail. The Emperor would not." Thule said finally. "His enemies will fall before him and his friends will rejoice once he rises. It won't matter if we all die. For the emperor protects, so then we will let none find us wanting."

Twilight wondered truly whether or not if the emperor did protect and what was the source to this zeal that all humans seem to share about their ruler. Not even Princess Celestia received things like this and she already thought she herself was a bit too well-liked for what was good for her.
But of course, she knew Thule meant every last word that came out of his mouth. He was never known to be a braggart and he always had a high sense of honor. Chances are, the good man would rather die for Equestria than see it burn.
Or rather, die for the Emperor on Equestria than see it burn.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Light years away, a countless fleet of strike cruisers and battle barges were on route to Equestria. Having met to at the rendezvous point, they were given orders by the Emperor himself. The final battle would be at Terra and Equestria. Should Equestria fall, the forces of chaos would gain much more than if Terra be destroyed in it's stead.
Now, the they prepared themselves, almost 300,000 space marines, to partake in the third largest battle in human history, and to ally themselves with aliens, something that was a rarity at the time.
Despite all their qualms ranging from xenos to leaving Terra unprotected, did a single space marine as much as object to the emperor's orders?
Not at all.
Surely with the Emperor's rebirth, with the aid of these strange creatures and with chainsword and bolter, victory was assured.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
At the eye of terror, at the maelstrom, at every single chaos bastion, the dark fleets of chaos rallied together and marched for Holy Terra and peaceful Equestria. The task was simple. Destroy Equestria and all it's people, and the dark gods will have a tighter grip on the material universe and part of Terra's defense will be shattered, then destroy Terra and kill the false emperor.
Surely with their numbers, the gifts of the dark gods and the daemons whom already had a grip on the material universe, victory was inevitable.

Not just the Imperium, but the entire galaxy held their breath to see what the outcome of this is. For the entire fate of the material universe now hangs in the balance of whether or not harmony wins against chaos.
The Emperor himself gripped the edges of his throne tightly. It wasn't just his imperium that was at stake. It was the entire galaxy. Everyone had everything to lose.
Yet...... the Emperor allowed himself a crafty grin. Everyone had everything to lose.
In this battle, the dark gods have staked on their greatest champions and most zealous devotes. It would be to the Emperor's plan. If the legions of chaos are defeated here, then the dark gods will most likely starve off.
It all depended on his space marines and Equestria now.

Comments

[Orkz]

BLACK crusade.

[ThatRarityIsaSpy]

3592037
Sorry about that! Remind me never to type things like this on a tablet.

[Bronzer]

For the entire fate of the material universe now hangs in the balance of whether or not harmony wins against chaos.

"For the entire fate of the material universe now hangs in the balance of whether or not humanity wins against chaos."

Personally, I have never liked the pony's idea of what constitutes as "harmony". Besides, it is the Imperium fighting, and they can't ever be mistaken for being harmonious.

[Grahf]

I'm surprised the Titan legions haven't been deployed to Equestria.

[Red Star Legion]

"They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give of themselves to me. Like clay I shall mould them, and in the furnace of war forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great armour shall I clad them and with the mightiest guns will they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness will blight them. They will have tactics, strategies and machines so that no foe can best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity and Equestria. They are my Space Marines and they shall know no fear."
The Emperor of Mankind on the eve of the Battle for Equestria.