2 151 932.M41
Karnak System, Segmentum Ultima
The Seige of Hive Caracalla....
The Phaeron looked over the battlefield as his legions marched onwards towards the citadel. Thousands of human corpses lay strewn across the vast, empty plateau as a wave of Necron Immortals marched in lock step towards the great hive of Caracalla. He looked over to his Lychguard, “We have won but a paltry victory this day.” His metallic voice rasped gratingly in the wind. “But thy work is not done yet. Go forth and deliver our message to the lords of the city.” The nearest Lychguard stood silent before answering in his lord, “Yes oh great Phaeron, terrible Lord of the Heavens, it shall be done.” He turned to board the waiting Ghost Ark. “You have objections, Neferu?” His Lychguard champion stopped for a brief moment, “May I not provoke thee to anger, great and terrible Master of Heaven and Earth,” Neferu spoke in ancient royal protocol, “You should spare not these pitiful mortals, for they are but chaff before the wind, and their seed withers before its time and passeth away. They are not fitting subjects for the great realm of Karnak. Let us make servants of them instead that they may build your lordship great cities and monuments in your name.”
“We admire your loyalty dear Neferu, but that is not our will. Were we not once also frail and weak? Was not our seed also brief upon the earth yet we achieved great feats when we walked in flesh and sinew? These mortals will provide the heart to our steel and will in time aid us in making war upon the Great Devourer that swallows up the Heavens even now. Go! Deliver our message to the mortals.”
With that Neferu boarded the barge and went out to the hive city.
Hours later Neferu returned with the Hive Lords’ reply. There would be no surrender. The Phaeron sighed as he looked over the devastation wrought by his armies and at what could have been a profitable tribute state in his ever expanding empire. But the shortsighted humans could not see what his crypteks foretold, they understood nothing. Blind, stupid creatures clinging to faith in a dying king and dooming themselves to extinction at the mighty hand of Thermotep III, Ruler of the Tothmozer Dynasty of Karnak. He paused in brief reflection of the irony that these mortals faced. That they would serve him either willingly in life or unwillingly in the hereafter. Thermotep looked to his Nemesors, and nodded to them to begin the final assault. And that was the last anyone living had ever heard of Hive Caracalla.
Uncorrupted excerpt from the encrypted annals of Karnak according to Imperial lexicographer Valentinus:
‘And the sun rose and set over the wastes of Setim and the Phaeron sent for his cryptek and champion. Zaphnat the cryptek spoke first. “My lord, you cannot mourn the mortals for their stubbornness”.....”there will be more of them”..... “they have a great king who will rise up”......”stretch out thine hand over the city and resurrect them oh Terrible One!”.... Phaeron addressed the assembled court, “Let it be known that I, Thermotep III, Great and Terrible Lord of Heaven and Earth, Phaeron of the Houses of Inner and Outer Karnak, Supreme Ruler of Gebnut, Overlord and Subduer of Setim”.... “shall establish my nephew Amenat IV as Overlord and Ruler of Setim and the Great City therein”....”So let it be written! So let it be done!”’
