Marble covered every surface of the circular holographic projection platform. This was to make the holographic projection clearer and more intuitive in displaying data information about the Old World. The strategy room was dimly lit, barely allowing operators to find their positions.
Heroic statues were placed throughout the strategy room. These statues often held a sword in one hand and a brazier in the other.
Flames crackled within them, providing a dim, yellow light. The faces of the statues appeared unpredictable in the flickering firelight, shifting between light and shadow.
Many officers from Natal stood around the holographic stage.
A faint glow illuminated the resolute faces of these young recruits. The Natal insignia on their shoulders shone brightly under the light.
Numerous honor banners hung on the walls.
Each one symbolized the brave people of Natal defeating the enemies of the Imperium and advancing the sacred cause of the Holy Emperor.
"This is the fate of those who dare to oppose the Imperium. Show no mercy."
This was the first lesson High Marshal Rhys taught these new recruits.
He stood beside the holographic platform, his hand resting on the brass railing. The light of the holographic projection shone on his face, which appeared to be only just reaching middle age.
It bore several scars, and the left side of his skull had been replaced with metal, smooth and gleaming.
A glowing red bionic eye was set in Rhys' eye socket.
According to him, he lost it while wiping out a squad of traitors. The unit he led suffered heavy casualties.
But the enemy also paid a heavy price; they were all annihilated.
A scribe stood beside Marshal Rhys, holding a cogitator-pen, rapidly recording Rhys' every word and action. The history of the Imperium is forged by countless mortals, and each world has its own heroes.
Rhys' words and achievements would be recorded and stored in the colossal databases on Terra and at the Hero Memorial on Natal. The scribe also appeared quite seasoned, adept at his work.
Leaving lines of flowing script on the data slate.
Seeing the eager looks on the new recruits' faces, Rhys cleared his throat and continued speaking.
"This is our duty, comrades. The sacred cause of the Holy Emperor is paramount; it is above our morals, our kindness, above everything we are. For the sacred cause of the Holy Emperor, no loss is unbearable, nothing is irreplaceable."
"If killing one person can advance the sacred cause of the Holy Emperor, then you must do it without hesitation, even if that person is you. You must not think too much. Some of you may question what right we have to take another's life, but then you must consider that if that person lives, millions will suffer."
"Philosophers always ponder profound questions about human nature, freedom, and the individual. They believe that people are born free, and this right cannot be taken away. When I take off this uniform, I agree with their views. Everyone should have freedom, to live for themselves; this is the ultimate goal the Imperium strives for, and the ultimate goal the sacred cause of the Holy Emperor seeks to achieve."
"But we have too many enemies; they are unimaginably powerful, their tendrils span several universes, with countless pawns. We have no choice but to either defeat these enemies or they will destroy everything we have created.
Do not imagine any compromise; only when one side, us or Chaos, is utterly destroyed can the war be considered over. If they can never be annihilated, then we must remain vigilant forever."
Rhys could have spoken more subtly.
But he chose to teach these Natal recruits with the voice of an Imperial missionary.
Letting them know that war is not a joke, nor is it something merciful.
In war, there is only death and duty. Beyond that, there is no other choice.
"When you become a commander, you can no longer consider casualties, but rather cost-effectiveness. This sounds cruel. It's as if a person's life has become insignificant, a currency traded in a market.
But war is like that. If you win through cruelty, it is not cruelty, because you allowed more people to live.
If your mercy, your reluctance to send a soldier to die, leads to the failure of an entire campaign, that is not mercy either, because due to the failure of the war, more people are forced to die, forced to endure heavier labor and more suffering."
"When I pressed the launch button, I knew our allies were not far away, and they were likely to be affected, to be killed by my own hand. But I did not hesitate, because it was the best time, the best distance. With a small sacrifice, we could ensure those skeletons would not scatter and escape, allowing us to encircle and destroy them."
"The most important quality in war is to feel no guilt for any life lost due to your decisions. The only thing you should feel guilty about is losing, failing to protect those you were supposed to protect, allowing them to suffer and endure torment. That is what you should feel guilty about."
Rhys' words would not appear in classrooms.
Because they were too brutal.
Even in strategy courses, teachers would try their best to use subtle language to express the relationship between sacrifice and victory. They would not speak as directly as Rhys.
A soldier's life is currency.
When throwing it out, the only thing to consider is whether it can exchange for enough chips.
Arthas listened to the sermon, committing it to memory.
After the lecture concluded, the officers dispersed to attend to their own duties.
Arthas, however, was asked to stay.
"What do you think, Major Arthas?" Marshal Rhys showed a doting smile, looking at the hero's son.
Hawk had already been called by the Holy Emperor in Universe 02, returning to the highest heaven.
Arthas, being their son, had been the focus of attention since childhood.
People expected him to bring even greater glory to Natal.
Rhys had served as a staff officer under Hawk for a time, and because of this, he held Arthas in high regard.
He hoped the young man would recapture his father's brilliance.
"This observation has been very beneficial to me. There is a significant gap between practice and theory." Arthas remained calm, a smile on his face.
Seeing this humble yet confident attitude, Marshal Rhys' admiration grew even stronger.
"I have a task for you," Marshal Rhys said in a low voice. "You saw those skeletons just now. According to intelligence, there is a small mastermind behind them. In the polar wastelands, the power of Chaos is also rampant.
These are destabilizing factors in the Imperium's rule. I want to assign someone intelligent and strong enough to handle this. Using Primaris Marines for this sort of thing would be overkill."
"I am honored," Arthas replied.
"Then this matter is in your hands. Do a good job. That way, you can add a beautiful entry to your resume." Marshal Rhys patted Arthas on the shoulder.
Just then, an aide approached.
"Sir, the military council is ready."
Rhys nodded, indicating he understood.
"I must go. There are several military councils regarding this expedition to be held. We have many battles to fight."
Arthas watched as Marshal Rhys and his aide turned and left the strategy room.
Only after their figures had completely disappeared did he shift his gaze to the holographic projection. The undead legion, displayed as red dots, had collapsed, suffering heavy casualties, and were fleeing into the distance.
Arthas tapped his finger lightly, expanding the holographic projection to show the enemy's base, the city of the undead known as Nagashizzar. That was the location of the mastermind behind the undead legion.
Sstropathic readings indicated that the Warp energy levels there were exceeding the norm.
Clearly, the opponent was a being skilled at manipulating Warp energy.
Arthas assessed the intelligence at hand, preparing to formulate a perfect counter-strategy.
If he could capture the opponent alive, the mission completion index would be higher, and the evaluation better.