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By now, a massive fleet of Necron warships under [[Triarch]] and [[Szarekh]]'s proxy [[Hapthatra the Radiant]] swept from the void to oppose the Imperial attack on Mesmoch, drawn by the Imperial deception.{{Fn|11e}} Speaking through Hapthatra, Szarekh demanded the Imperial surrender and proclaimed the galaxy as the Necron's domain. Guilliman unsurprisingly refused the Necron demands and ordered a fighting withdrawal aiming to keep the xenos occupied while Cawl completed his mission at Planet 7/2.{{Fn|11g}} It soon became apparent that the Necrons intended to capture, not destroy, the Imperials in hopes of perhaps gaining Guilliman. Ordering the evacuation of the ''Dawn of Fire'', Guilliman stayed on board with a force of [[Custodes]] under [[Colquan]] to draw the Necron's attention.{{Fn|11h}} The ''Dawn of Fire'' was quickly disabled by the Necrons, who boarded the vessel with troops as Guilliman and his entourage finally begin to attempt to withdraw. [[Cato Sicarius]], commander of the [[Victrix Guard]], is able to destroy a [[Necron Lord]] to clear a path for Guilliman to flee as a gateway opens, revealing the Silent King Szarekh personally. Guilliman drew the [[Emperor's Sword]] and prepared for a fight, but was foiled by [[Illiyanne Natasé]], who closed the portal and allowed the group to escape as the ''Dawn of Fire'' is destroyed.{{Fn|11i}}{{Fn|11j}}
Meanwhile, Cawl oversaw the true Imperial objective: accompanying [[White Consuls]] Captain [[Vitrian Messinius]] and 150 recently-christened White Consuls [[Greyshield]]s to Planet 7/2 with cloaking devices. Landing via [[Drop Pod]] undetected to the surface, even the Space Marines were affected by the properties of the Nexus but nonetheless were able to move towards the central Necron control pyramid.{{Fn|11d}} Fighting their way inside the pyramid against swarms of [[Canoptek Construct]]s, Cawl personally interfaced with the pyramid in a bid to shut down the local pylon network and flood it with dataphages.{{Fn|11f}} Cawl was eventually successful in completing his task as the Space Marines took heavy casualties, but the the pariah veil lifted across Imperial forces in the region.{{Fn|11i}} Cawl revealed that the pyramid was actually a [[Pharos (Device)|Pharos]] device, and used it to teleport himself and the surviving Space Marines to their nearby [[Strike Cruiser]]. Cawl's mission had been successful in disrupting the Nexus, but the losses to the Imperials at Mesmoch and Paradyce had been devastating.{{Fn|11j}}
====Vie Almus Majoria Counterpush====
In the wake of the disaster at Mesmoch. [[Battle Group Kallides]] reeled as it attempted to investigate the [[Pariah Nexus]]. Battle Group Kallides, lead by [[Field Marshal]] [[Bigelis Thao]], struggled to gain a foothold on the world of [[Vie Almus Majora]], with a disastrous initial defeat at the [[Battle of Ishlarn Thermokarst]], wherein 20 armoured regiments and 10 Infantry Regiments were encircled and nearly destroyed - these regiments included; [[Chancyllian Ironclads]], [[Gabikhan Thunderers]], [[Pteroni Highryders]], and the [[Gelzoan Light Infantry]]. Imperial forces were eventually pushed back over a number of months to a small region. Only after the victory on [[Cherist]], and the realisation that Faith could prevent the Stilling, did the Counterpush begin to succeed. The Marshal's plan for a counterattack won approval from the supporting [[Darkspires]], [[Sons of Orar]], and [[Harrowers]] [[Chapters|Chapter]]s. A breakout, assisted by [[Astartes|Space Marines]] lighting strikes, was successful.{{Fn|2a}}
====Kalliphor Engagement====
The battles for, around, and on, Kalliphor were so brutal and disastrous that the losses shaped the rest of the Pariah Nexus Campaign. Losses included: 30-40 Million Dead, or Stilled; . 373 Starhips starships of the Imperial Fleet and their crews were lost, including the Naval vessels ''[[His Imperial Majesty]]'', and ''[[His Divine Purpose]]''.{{CME}}
Events resulting in such casualties include the deaths of 2 Million million men and women of the [[Kalliphorian Free Companies]] in the bunkers beneath the [[Glastojun Mountains]] due to assault by tens of thousands of [[Flayed Ones]].{{CME}}
Alongside the many deaths, there were great victories. These include:
The Charge of the [[Heskian Light Dragoons]], and the [[Siege of Traanaxis Hive]], where the [[ratlings]] of the [[337th Abhuman Auxiliaries]] allegedly assassinated hundred of high-ranking [[Necrons]] - holding the Hive long enough for the [[Heskian Light Dragoons]] to relieve them.{{CME}}
The sabotaging actions of the [[Haephosian Tritons]] resulted in the collaspse collapse of a Tomb Complex into the [[Tranzpasian Ocean]], preventing the 78th Division of the [[Aeronautica Imperialis]] - the 'Fire Jackals' - from being overwhelmed by the Necron air/space forces deployed from the complex.{{Fn|2b}}
====Battle of the Gates====
As imperial Imperial forces faced collapse, [[Groupmaster]] [[Marran]] mobilized his reserves and tried to recall the more far-flung of his task forces; however, due to the effects of the [[Pariah Nexus]], [[Astropath]]ic communication were largely ineffective. Faced with this, he deployed swift messenger ships but there was doubt over whether [[Navigator]]s could guide the ships to their destinations due to the warp nullification field of the region. On [[Paradyce IV]] and [[Kalliphor]] Imperial forces suffered further defeats at the hands of the [[Necron]]s. Amidst the panic, the [[Sister of Battle]] [[Ephrael Stern]] came before Groupmaster Marran. The [[Daemonifuge]] requested a chance to restore Imperial spirits by leading a counterattack. Stern chose the world of [[Cherist]], a major Necron transportation hub based around three [[Dolmen Gate]]s as her target. Marran put his faith in Stern and approved the plan.{{Fn|1b}}
The Imperials found Cherist to be a vicious [[Ice World]], though the climate effected the Necrons little. Yet the Imperials did not balk and forces from the [[Order of Our Martyred Lady]] and the [[Order of the Bloody Rose]] swept down onto the planet from [[Invasion Cathedrum]]s. Stern herself led the invasion against the Dolmen Gates complex located at Cherist's south pole. They were supported by [[Imperial Guard]] and [[Knight]]s of [[House Mortan]]. Due to [[Quantum Shielding]], orbital bombardment was impossible and the only viable route for the Imperials was up a wide valley dotted with destroyed [[Human]] structures. The Imperial attack began with a ferocious barrage from the Invasion Cathedrums. Unshielded Necron structures were pummeled pummelled into ruin but thanks to their quantum shielding the core structures remained unharmed. The Necrons themselves responded with salvos of weapons [[Necron Pylon|Pylon]]s which destroyed one of the landing craft o house of House Mortan.{{Fn|1b}}
The Imperial forces were able to establish a beachhead under heavy fire. The Sororitas Invasion Cathedrums unleashed two dozen squads of [[Seraphim]] and [[Zephyrim]]. Meanwhile Stern herself descended from dropships and marched at the head of more than 2,000 Sisters. They advanced into the ice shard storms under ferocious fire alongside several thousand [[Guardsmen]] and supporting tanks. However [[Phaeron]] [[Shemvokh]] of the [[Nihilakh Dynasty]] was unconcerned and organized a counterattack down the valley aboard his [[Catacomb Command Barge]]. As [[Necron Warrior]]s marched forward, [[Tomb Blade]]s rained death down onto Imperial tanks and artillery. Heavier Necron war engines drifted in their wake, annihilating entire squads of Guardsmen and [[Battle Sister]]s. Phaeron Shemvokh and his [[Lychguard]] intended to lead their own attack to split the Imperial lines in two.{{Fn|1b}}
