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The Reaping of Mars commenced with little delay or error. The figurative clock which was the approach of Horus Lupercal was something that everyone needed to fight again. Not a single body was misused during this time as Rogal Dorn was given the confidence of his brother that Horus Lupercal would not arrive for the coming year.
This moment is what many of Terra’s defenders would honestly say was a great relief to what was happening. For so long they have all been static upon the planet of Terra looking out for terrors they barely understood. Anticipation that any second they could have had a war sprung upon them and thus being underprepared lived within their minds for the longest of time.
These next few months were different. Now they were all, let them be the simple militarum soldier to the Imperial Fists who dotted the system. All of them had something to focus their minds upon. Someone that would help them crystalize their efforts in perfecting the defences of Terra.
The Adeptus Mechanicus might have taken issue with this moment. To scream at the top of their vox casters that their planet was quickly being disassembled and turned into war material for the coming battle against Terra. Each of them were easily pacified however as the Imperial Fists informed them that this was the decision of the Omnissiah.
None could complain against the Omnissiah. Doubly so when the logic of their ultimate Sovereign was distributed to the masses to really consider. The fact that if Mars threatened Horus in any manner that the Warmaster would not hesitate to either pillage Mars for all its worth or even destroy the planet itself out of efficient desires.
Traitors were quickly cut down one after another as the Imperial Fists committed themselves to the Compliance of Mars. To bring into line those who had renounced the Emperor for their own gain or have foolishly been trapped by their dictators into damnation.
Quickly and with no failures Mars was returned to a barren world with a ring of iron surrounding it. So much automation was ripped out of their sockets and placed into what were deep factories in a quickly growing network of tunnels underneath the Imperial Palace. Ballrooms that had little purpose in the designs of Rogal Dorn were transformed into massive facilities of foodcrafts and weapon manufactoring that had no peer.
With the Reaping of Mars the Imperial Palace, a formidable stronghold, was now unsiegeable. If Horus Lupercal wished to take the palace he would need to break down its walls and slaughter the defenses with his Demons.
Horus will try just that for his Prize was the throne.
