**Warhammer 40k – The Red Phoenix**
**File Archive – 999.M41 (After Baal)… Conclave of Birth**
*“Bang, bang, bang.”* The iron table trembled under the impact of the **Lord Commander Dante's** gauntlet. The heavy sound reverberated through the chamber, silencing the murmur of voices and commanding the attention of every figure seated within the conclave. Each was a Chapter Master, the head of their own resounding line of **Sons of Sanguinius**, their eyes now fixed on the one man whose word would decide the matter.
Lord Commander Dante's gaze, sharp and unyielding, fell upon the newly appointed **Chapter Master Allteranius Nix**. His voice cut through the tension like the edge of a blade, cold and deliberate.
**"Brother Allteranius Nix, will you accept the gift of the Holy Emperor, just as I and the rest of our cousins have embraced the mantle of the Primaris?"**
The weight of the moment hung heavy in the air. Every Astartes present felt the gravity of what was being asked, the transition from the old ways to the new, from the legacy of the Firstborn to the enhanced power of the Primaris Marines. Nix, his mind racing, felt the pressure of a thousand eyes upon him. The banners of their chapters lined the walls, silent witnesses to the judgment before him.
Duty. Honor. These were the cornerstones of his existence, the bedrock of every warrior that had taken the mantle of Astartes. Without hesitation, without the slightest waver, **Allteranius Nix** bent the knee, his voice echoing with the weight of his oath.
**"At the Emperor's will, I follow. For Sanguinius, I bleed."**
The words were spoken with the full force of his conviction, and the approval was palpable. A murmur of assent swept through the room, the rustle of armor plates as gauntlets met chest in acknowledgment. **Dante**, his steely expression unchanged, gave a faint nod.
**"Well said, Brother Nix. And so, by the power granted to me by the Emperor, I issue you a Conqueror’s Rite."**
Nix felt his pulse quicken. This was no simple proclamation—this was a test. Dante was entrusting him with more than just the future of his Chapter; he was laying upon his shoulders the weight of the Imperium's survival in this forsaken corner of the galaxy. From the corner of his eye, Nix saw the subtle shifts in his brothers’ faces, the unspoken acknowledgment that this was no mere mission. This was a crucible, and his every move would be watched.
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**"The Lord Regent pulls the strings,"** Nix thought, his jaw tightening. He could feel it—this was as much a political maneuver as it was a duty. The unseen hand of **Roboute Guilliman** was upon him, guiding his fate like a puppet in the grand scheme of the Imperium.
But Nix was no puppet. He would dance to their strings, yes, but on his terms.
With a heavy sigh, carefully masked behind the iron resolve of his voice, Nix spoke. **"I am the Emperor’s servant."** He bowed his head and raised his hands, accepting the sealed scroll from Dante.
Dante's lips curled ever so slightly, the barest hint of a smile. His voice rose, firm and commanding, drawing the attention of all once more.
**"Brothers, hear me!"** The Lord Commander paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. **"We are the shield and sword of the Imperium in these dark times. Reinforcements are not coming. We must rebuild. We must strengthen ourselves. The Lord Regent has left this duty in our hands, and so it shall be done."**
The chamber erupted in a thunderous salute, fists colliding with armored breastplates in a resounding show of loyalty and resolve. **Dante** nodded approvingly, his oratory flowing seamlessly into the next charge.
**"There is only one way through the rift, and I intend to see it secured and stable on our end. A decade has passed since the Imperial Commander departed, leaving us to mend the cracks in our reach, and in that time, we have made strides."**
He began to pace, his words a masterful balance of command and inspiration. **"We must never falter in our duty. To that end, I am sending Brother Allteranius Nix to Bitter Hold. He is to establish his Chapter on that world, to investigate the malefactors of the surrounding systems, and to bring the light of Sanguinius to the people. He will make Bitter Hold a bastion of the Imperium once more."**
This was an ambitious order, and the assembled leaders knew it. There were nods of understanding—this was more than just a mission of conquest. It was the first step in the **Cardinal Phoenixes**’ rise as a dominant force in this sector, a new pillar of strength for the Blood Angels’ successors.
Nix felt the strings of his fate tighten around him like a noose, but his resolve was ironclad. With a grip of steel, he seized them in his mind, refusing to let them control him.
**"This is my burden now,"** he thought, his gaze unwavering as he looked into Dante's eyes. **"And I will carry it.For my brothers under my command, for the Chapter that bears the name of the Phoenix—we will rise, and we will conquer."**
**"I accept this duty, Lord Commander,"** Nix said, his voice steady, even as the weight of his new charge settled upon his shoulders. **"We will not fail."**
Dante’s eyes softened just slightly, a sign of the trust that had been placed in him. **"Then go, Allteranius Nix. You are now more than a Chapter Master—you are a beacon of the Emperor’s light in the darkest of places. Carry that flame with you to Bitter Hold. For the Imperium. For Sanguinius."**
**"For Sanguinius,"** Nix echoed, feeling the weight of his destiny press down upon him. The conclave was dismissed, the chapter leaders filing out one by one. As the iron doors closed behind him, Nix knew that his path was set.
The Imperium needed him, and Allteranius Nix would not fail in his duties.