Soon after reaching the Rakkor system, I found what that Nephilim King really was.

Unlike the normal Tyranid hordes, this Hive used massive organisms that copied Imperial Knights, both in looks and tactics, forming feudal-like formations.

And while the low level support of Tyranid Sacristan look-alike were easy to mow down by our combo Votannic_Bolt_Cannon and Ion Beamers on the Invictus Warsuits, only the Volkanite Disintegrators could harm the armored shells of their Knight bioforms, and not that well either. Click, and the Primaris Marines returned to their repair docks.

This called for a deployment of my own House Knights, and see how their new weapons fared agaisnt this strange strain of Tyranids called the Court_of_the_Nephilim_King .

Matching the Tyranids in numbers and power, it now became a game of wits between my Knights and the synapse creatures.

Their pyrovore bio-cannons shot blasts of burning bio-plasma that splashed over our new Weave shields, and what left over got through were ineffective against the Tiamat carapace bonded over the real adamantium underneath.

"Scrreeech!" a loud howl erupted from their monstrous King, causing the bioforms to re-group and retreat from their siege of House Raven, leaving dozens of wrecked Raven Knights on the ground.

Void Bikes began to harass and hound isolated Nid Knights, and several Auxilia Mega Tauros cars surrounded them, firing with Vulcan Mega-bolters at the weaker joints.

Soon enough, the bulk of the Tyranid Court was corralled into a mountain valley, an easy prey for either an armored assault or our orbital support. The Nephilim King knew this as well, as he stepped in front and gestured with his whip-swords, perhaps demanding an honorable death. But nope.

Such an effective formation would be too useful to kill. They could fight for me instead. "A new Auxilia Unit. Tyranid Knights!" I exclaimed happily on the bridge, watching my sons and daughters simply grin in response.

And click. Joining my other special Tyranid Tyrants and what else in the tesseract, I soon began to implant the synapse units with my Necron Mind Shackles.

An excellent loot for today. And a reminder that our enemies were also evolving and upgrading themselves. Knights! Soon enough they will deploy Titan Legions.

"I'm not painting such a beast!" I heard Captain Laur mutter in a low voice. This boy! Always fun to tease.

"You will paint two of them instead. And Menelau is excused, because he was a good boy." I ordered with a wink at my Librarian son.

"Silly Laur. Don't worry, I'll help too. These Xeno Auxilia will be helpful one day." my wiser son spoke with a lamenting voice.

From their Hive Ships I only kept a spiky multi-clawed bioship, that seemed to have been evolved for boarding purposes. The rest were either butchered by the fleet or sent to burn in the sun.

"A dangerous plan, Lord Lancefire. The Tyranids will eventually adapt to whatever means you have to control them." my Inquisitor wife muttered in a soft voice.

"Such is war. Those who fail to adapt are bound to lose. But for now, I think I'm doing fine." I answered with a nod. Warning received.

I was already busy repairing the system and providing it with metal asteroid for forts. It was still a losing game. Knight Houses should not hide on remote medieval worlds, exposed to any strong invasion. They should base themselves on a Forge World, and fight with the support of the Mechanicus. Just like I did.

"Want me to deal with the Raven Knights?" Valeyne asked, sounding curious.

I checked my implant to see if there were any interesting persons still alive, and surely enough they had Baroness Vardus tending to her damaged Knight suit.

"We'll both go. I do have a Knight Suit as well."

When we appeared beside the medieval keep, I piloted my lonely Reason Knight, and my metal palm held an Inquisitor and two Deathwatch bodyguards, mostly as a show of skill. Piloting a Knight was quite easy for me now, almost like a second skin.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Welcome to House Raven! Although you may understand we are much in disarray, at the moment." Lady Vardus spoke from a tall tower.

I simply moved my palm at the side of the tower to let the passengers debark, and then stored my suit and stepped beside them, back in my Terminator plate. Brother Alric managed to frown at me, even while wearing his armored helmet. Semnai simply shrugged, already used with my antics. Then again, the man had fought a Great Daemon in the Warp and even burned a Demon World by himself.

"This is Inquisitor Ramaeus, and I am Pef Lancefire. I can provide assistance." I proposed with a mild voice, and with a trick of the tesseract gathered all the damaged Knights into the Keep's courtyard.

"You don't feel like a psyker, Lord Lancefire." the Baroness observed with keen eyes. Semnai actually snorted at that, before restraining himself.

Right, I should bring Canis and Joghaten. I was the only one here without a retinue. Click.

"My gifts are of an entire opposite spectrum, Lady Vardus. I am what they call a Null or a Blank. When I grow up, I'll be able to eat Daemons on toast bread. Or even without toast." I explained politely, then smiled as the brave Nobles around the Baroness drew back a step.

I just sighed and skipped forwards, hiding the Necron Orb_of_Eternity with my shadows. In a minute, the damaged Knights began to restore themselves, limbs re-knitting, armor plates unbending, even fusion reactors fusing back together.

In 30 minutes, the Raven Knights were now pristine, possibly even better than they ever were. A medieval world didn't have the technology to maintain Knights to their best form, after all.

"Woooh?" Canis asked as he smelled the brand-new Knights.

"Not like our Reason, Canis. See, no Weave shields, no Ion Cannons, not even Burst Lances?" I argued with my wolf.

They also didn't have a Grav-Chute to allow a smooth landing, nor Phase Blades, not the Blessed_Autosimulacra repair devices.

With chainswords and autocannons, even heavy stubbers as they armament, the poor Raven House looked like peasants compared to my advanced Knights.

"Wooo! Woooa?" Canis proposed with a wise voice. Upgrade them?

Difficult and dangerous. Knight Houses fell to Chaos quite often, as I knew well. I burned plenty of Fallen Houses.

Lady Vardus had descended from her tower while I was busy, and could only stare at the repaired walkers in awe.

"This debt, I will speak with our Princeps on Kolossi , surely we can repay this Favor somehow." she murmured with a fervent voice.

"I think Armed Sentinels are more than enough to maintain a military presence here, my lady. I propose you depart this world and base your Knights at a Forge World like Metalica. They can also upgrade the suits with far better weapons." I spoke with a wry glance at the stone walls of the keep.

They even had barefoot peasants here, and reptile work animals instead of tractors. Even Sentinels were overkill to maintain peace.

An Auxilia Sentinel appeared beside me, looking much like a smaller version of a Knight, if far less expensive. Maybe 1000 Sentinels would reach the value of a single Knight suit.

The Baroness examined the unknown Sentinel model with keen eyes, walking around it and even climbing into the cockpit for a spin. The smaller chainsword roared in the air with a loud engine growl.

After she jumped out, she nodded cautiously. "Far easier to pilot as well. Instead of 30 Knights we could hold this world with 300 Armed Sentinels. Train the pilots as well..."

I grinned at her. "My Crusade Fleet has a million Sentinels in storage. Let's visit Kolossi and see if your Princeps is interested in joining."

On the way to the nearby system, I got to know the Baroness much better, and gifted her a Blank child as a reward.