The situation on Paradorn had changed drastically following the destructive and decisive raid on Mordecai. With Tragean and Thok gone, many of the other forces which could only be described as "hangers on" in Stahl's prosecution of the war, similarly began drifting away. By late 06.018M42 the Warsmith only had his own forces and a detachment of Knights known as the Aether Striders he could rely on, as the Emerald Serpent and others had begun to pursue their aims further afield.
The Lycaon Guard meanwhile, morale sky high, began to take the fight to the enemy. Supported on Paradorn II by fleet support, the Aether Striders soon found themselves in difficulty. Despite having access to murderous firepower, this could now be matched by the Imperium. and the loyalists had the numbers. Over the course of a week the Knights of Valar were forced ever further back, until eventually Stahl agreed to rescue them by the use of his own necron device. By the end of 06M42 Stahl's forces were limited to controlling the inner planet of Paradorn, and D'oyly-Hughes' battlegroup was inbound to invade.
Stahl decided to personally intervene, as the stubborn warsmith was unwilling to give up on territory won so dearly. However, the Lycaon guard landed in huge numbers, and Stahl was not willing to risk his fleet in a potentially decisive engagement in space. Sending in his elite forces, the warsmith was able to hold the Lycaon at first, stalling their advance and inflicting severe casualties. However, the Iron Warriors could not seriously hope to beat the guard on attrition, and by 0207_018M42 Stahl ordered a withdrawal from Paradorn. The system was given up to the loyalist imperium, who had now fully come back from the brink of annihilation. Stahl, still master of chaos, raged at his incompetent allies and began to plan other ways to achieve his aims.
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