Lord Hibnar, the new governor of the planet Sierra Segundus, was smiling. An event so rare that the Servo-skull filming the ceremony zoomed its camera on the smiling governor. The people could see the large grin of happiness of their new Lord conquer their holovids screens like he did this planet. This smile was the result of years of hard-fought battles on the field and in the princely courts of this world. And today this long-fought battle was bearing fruit. Lord Hibnar was stepping inside the governor's palace for his enthronement as the Lord protector of this planet. He was followed by a few dozen retainers and security guards who provided any information he may need during the ceremony. It was quite a different experience from the last time the Governor visited the palace. Back then, every wall and piece of furniture were black from the innumerable lashots that hit them and the smell of burned flesh hung in the air. This time, however, the walls were mostly back to their immaculate white color save for a few parts of the wall that had not yet been freed from the shrapnel of a Krak Grenade or the corrosive blood of a Genestealer. Those sections were, of course, tastefully hidden behind beautiful tapestries and paintings made by the greatest artist of the planet. As for the smell, it mostly smelled of wonderful Caraxian roses thanks to perfume dispensers installed in the mouths of 459 statues installed along the alley the governor was slowly crossing. This wonderful smell heightened the enthusiasm of the governor who was offering discreet nods and hand waves to the thousands of guests who were spread out on both sides of the long hallway leading up to the throne room. Some of those had tried to kill him or may still be for all the governor knew, but that was to be expected. After 5 years he had learned the extent of the hatred, some noble houses still felt for him despite the fact he had saved the planet from a Tyranid cult. Some were still using his old name Terk Curlak behind his back as if Governor Hibnar felt any shame about his past as the general of the 14th mechanized imperial guard regiment. Quite to the contrary, despite the fact he had traded his military uniform for a nobler attire made in the quite expensive Armatomraal silk, he still insisted on having the 14th insignia sewn into his suit. He also took special attention to shake the hand of everyone who still wore the 14th mechanized uniform even though the regiment had been dissolved after the war, which was quite a few people since all 14th veterans were invited to the ceremony.

It was while shaking the robotic hand of a veteran that governor Hibnar noticed a particularly gorgeous tapestry representing him on top of his Chimera crushing xenos loving traitors. Lord Hibnar was especially impressed by the attention the artist gave to the chainsword Lord Hibnar was holding in his left hand directing the Chimera forward. A beautiful detail, if absolutely false. The Governor Chimera did once run over a traitor, but he was definitely safe inside the 15-ton vehicle yelling at his driver to get them out of this shithole.

''Oh well artistic liberty and all that''. though Lord Hibnar who quickly moved on to another pair of hands of a former sergeant who fought under him during the cleansing of Yarik Hole. She seemed honored by the handshake, though her eyes were empty as most survivors of Yarik Hole were. He still struck up a short conversation with her to know how she was liking her life in Sierra Secundus and if she made friends with the locals. The sergeant did suddenly light up, mentioning a wonderful girl she met who seemed to definitely make her happier. Lord Hibnar was quite pleased and asked the sergeant her Hab serial number so he could send a small gift for the blissful couple. She quickly gave her residence location and started thanking the Lord profusely.

This conversation was suddenly interrupted by the Master of Ceremonies Varnik Veralt, who said in this very soft voice local nobility love so much:

-Your excellency, the Red Barons are expecting your presence at the throne room and it is tradition for the new governor to salute them before the red sun is at its zenith.

A year ago, Lord Hibnar would have told him he had other worries than backstabbing fools who weren't ready to take a Krak Grenade for him. That being said, Lord Hibnar wasn't like that anymore. He knew he had to treat the surviving noble families with some level of respect … for now. So, he simply thanked the Sergeant for her service and went through the crowd at a faster pace.

The faces of hundreds of his former soldiers and subjects were blending together in his head. All of them had scars either on their body or in their eyes, in the way they said ''my Lord", the way they tried to pretend any of this was normal. Some could barely stand up, their body broken by the war, unlike the finely sculpted statues representing an ideal vision of the imperial guard, upright, clean with their Lasgun charged and ready to fire. Though all of them had a level of pride in the fact that in their own small way today was thanks to them. Showing off their medals, the hand they lost, their old uniform, yelling war cries, swearing like they were still in the thick of it or simply standing as if they were in a military review.

Lord Hibnar smiled even more at this glorious display and quickly took a mental note to increase the pension to the survivors of the 14th mechanized.

As Lord Hibnar was going through this crowd he was also going through the history of his rise to power in the form of painting and tapestries. Most notable was the masterpiece of Alis Van Sven a glorious 50 meters long tapestry representing the rise to power of Lord Hibnar from: his arrival on Sierra Segundus, the retreat of his forces in the lower Habs, the lack of reinforcement because of the war raging on Cadia, the rallying of the PDF at the Hivecity Tuar, the destruction of the enemy 8th tank brigade at Macharius river, the siege of the governor palace and finally the governor giving the holy scepter of Valian to Lord Hibnar just before dying. All of it was false in some way, exaggerated or simplistic. This was partly because it was necessary to pretend Lord Hibnar's messy rise to power was anything straight forward. However, it was also due to the very real limitation of any human to fully capture the complex history of such an event. Even if the tapestry had been 10 kilometers long, presenting a much more detailed account of what happened, it would still be an overly simplistic depiction that would collapse under the critical look of someone who had even a passing knowledge of what occurred. It would also be impossible to install in the Governor's palace.

Lord Hibnar barely took notice of this trip through the history of his rise to power as he was trying to hurry up to the throne room while attempting to look relaxed and not in a rush. A skill he hadn't mastered yet. Has he finally reached the first steps of the stairs to the throne room, Lord Hibnar felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and heard the hard voice of his head of security former Major Stobb Amez:

-My Lord, apologies, but I just received a report indicating that in many hive cities thousands of citizens are going out into the street yelling in a language no one understands. Some reports even say they are crying tears of blood or bursting in flame.

-Intriguing. Do you think those could be survivors of the cult trying to cause trouble on my enthronement? asked Lord Hibnard

-I've never seen the 'nids do such a thing before, but I was thinking of sending a few squads of Arbites to see if this may simply be a case of mass hysteria or celebrations of your rule that got out of hand.

-Very well, but don't allow them to have guns and keep a few battalions of the PDF in reserve in case they are needed. I'd rather avoid a bloodbath on my day of enthronement.

-As you wish my Lord! Said Stobb Amez, immediately relaying the orders through a Comm-link in his ear, while melting back in the small group of security guards following the governor.

Lord Hibnar resumed his march to the throne room with renewed effort. Disregarding all ceremonial advice given to him, he walked at a very fast pace. He was ignoring important tombs of local saints he was supposed to pray to as he was climbing to his throne. Lord Hibnar had other things to do and the sun was reaching its red zenith very soon. He quickly gave a short nod to the Servo-skulls capturing his every move. Indicating he wanted them to stop filming him. The skull's red eyes turned off, allowing Lord Hibnar to relax for a second, freed from the constant look of his billions of subjects.

His citizens will be confused at the interruption of the feed, but they should quickly see the throne room where 14 Red Barons from the most important families would await their new Lord. Then, the Master of Ceremonies would regale the people with a wealth of details about the throne room and the full lineage of each Red Baron. Lord Hibnar heard the Master of Ceremonies behind him speaking with a great passion to half a dozen Servo-skulls about the significance of every symbol surrounding the brand-new throne made for Lord Hibnar. The Master of Ceremonies had the tact not to mention what happened to the thousand-year-old golden throne that was there before.

This Master of Ceremonies was turning out to be quite a useful person though Lord Hibnar. It was a good thing he didn't have him executed for treason during the last attack on the governor's palace. Lord Hibnar was quite busy at that time, it must be said. He was walking through the same stairs as he was doing now, but was surrounded by military officers, agents of the Adeptus Mechanicus and even an Inquisitor all giving advice and reports on the progress of the battle. Reporting on the capture of this position, the loss of that squad, the breakdown of a Leman Russ or the dead bodies found in the underground level.

As he finally arrived in the throne room and was a bit shocked by how different the room was from the last time, he visited it. Instead of the nasty odor of burned tentacles and the ozone of plasmas, he only smelled holy incense from Terra itself. Gone were torn bodies of imperial guards ripped apart by the claws and tentacles covering the multi limb monster that was the Tyranid cult God. The corpse of that monster slain by the heroic act of a lone guardsman with a plasma gun was nowhere to be seen either.

Instead, 14 Red Barons were present surrounding the brand-new throne made from the tree of the former governor's personal garden and sculpted to represent the wings of a rising eagle. It was bathed in a beautiful crimson light thanks to the stunning mosaic of the God Emperor that was covering the wall behind the throne. His unique sanguine eyes in the middle of His holy skull redirecting the red sunlight precisely on the throne as Lord Hibnar walked towards it. All 14 Red Barons bowed their heads in respect to Lord Hibnar as well as all members of the Administratum present. The only exception was the Astropath Zagriah Viloziafar who seemed to be shaken by some strange fervor. Lord Hibnar gave a quick glance at Stobb Amez who immediately went to look after the Astropath while Lord Hibnar was taking his seat on his new throne. It was a bit uncomfortable and frugal compared to the previous throne, but it suited Lord Hibnar's character.

Once seated, Cardinal Carmila Velina slowly brought the scepter of Valian to Lord Hibnar. which symbolizes his unlimited power over this planet. Then the Red Baron Theodore Remlis delivered the orb of Keith which represents the wisdom that will balance this unlimited power. These individuals, lied, cheated, bribed and killed to give those stupid toys to their new Lord.

Armed with those symbols, Lord Hibnar could face at last his Red Barons, the red eyes of two dozen Servo-skulls and the large throne room. He could see this room like his enemy must have viewed it. Of course, there were some differences, but Lord Hibnar felt a rare moment of empathy for the fat bastard he murdered on this very spot.

How the fat bastard must have felt covered in the light trying to remember the speech other people wrote for him? How did he feel about the cool eyes of the Barons who were looking with envy at his scepter? Was he ever tired of this? Did he ever think if it was all worth it?

Lord Hibnar pulled away from those thoughts and trying to remember quickly the exact formulation he started greeting his people:

My dear subjects, generous Red Barons, servants of the Empire and guards of our faith:

- I am honored today in being seated on this throne given to me by the will of the Emperor. I will serve the imperium well. Purging it from heresy, paying the glorious tithe every year and caring for the people. I shall bring prosperity to the merchants of our realm. Goods shall now freely transit through this planet. I ask them in return not to overcharge the people. I shall give the Red Barons security; their title and rights will be protected. In exchange I ask their fealty to my rule. For my guardsmen who've faithfully served me, I shall bring glorious rewards for the blood they spilled. In exchange, I ask them to keep their Lasguns clean and ready in case I have need for them again. To the Ecclesiarchy, I promise new churches to the glory of the Emperor and a renewed hunt of the heretics. In exchange, I ask their holy blessing of my rule and to spread their wealth generously to the poor.

Finally! To my people! I shall bring you orde…

DOOMED! Yelled the Astropath Zagriah Viloziafar who was weeping in pain as if his whole being was being torn from the inside.

- WE ARE DOOMED! Cadia has fallen! The galaxy is broken! You are not seeing the rise of a new Lord, but the appointment of the last witness of our collective murder! THE WARP! The warp is swallowing all! We are dead! Don't waste your time praying for the Emperor for we have failed Him.

As he was saying those things Astropath Zagriah was tearing away at his purple robe exposing his body. Dark blood was pouring from what looked like a thousand different cuts, his flesh was rotting, his eyes turned dark, every bone in his body seemed to be breaking each step he took and yet kept on walking towards Lord Hibnar. One guard tried to seize the Astropath ,but burned when touching him. Another soldier aimed his Lasgun, but was struck by lightning emerging from the back of the corrupted Astropath. A third one attempted to stab him with his bayonet, but his whole arm simply dislocated before he could even scratch the Astropath.

Indifferent to those attacks, Astropath Zagriah kept limping towards Lord Hibnar until he was face to face with him.

- General Terk Curlak! Listen carefully. Burn those clothes, renounce your throne, forget your new name. You were born a lowly ganger and that's the place the Emperor chose for you. Every second you stay on this throne will only bring pain and sadness to all, especially you. Run before it's too late! I beg of you! Save the soul of your subject since their life is already lost! said Zagriah as he was reaching to touch Lord Hibnar.

Lord Hibnar, unmoved, used his scepter to strike the forehead of this spawn of the warp. Thick dark blood started pouring from the broken face of Zagriah who fell on the ground, yelling in pain. Lord Hibnar went on top of the former Astropath and started bashing the head of the struggling Astropath with both holy symbols of his rule. Zagriah did try to say something, but Lord Hibnar simply shattered the lower jaw of his enemy with the orb of Keith. Lord Hibnar's was showered in the gore of what used to be Zagriah.

-This is mine! I fought for it! Go back to the warp demon! It's mine! It's mine! It's mine! yelled Lord Hibnar filled with bestial anger.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

The sound of the scepter smashing the deformed body of the Astropath swallowed the throne room. The crowd surrounding the two men (if we can call them that) were immobile, terrified by the scene in front of them.

Lord Hibnar kept ravaging Zagriah's body with a series of violent blows until the darkness disappeared from the Astropath's eyes. Then he saw it. In those eyes the same look the fat bastard gave him on that faithful day. When Lord Hibnar was about to shoot him with his plasma gun melting half the throne in the process. His eyes looked relieved. He was freed from this mess and now Lord Hibnar was stuck with it.

Lord Hibnar covered in black blood stood up and stumbled back to his throne, still bathed in the red light from the Emperor's eye of the mosaic. The Emperor was witnessing with indifference the rise of another of its servants.

Then, the sky tore itself in half.