[b]Event Name:[/b] The Battle of the Stalwalt Sun
[b]Location:[/b] Terra
[b]Date:[/b] 2.553.794.M30
[b]Parties Involved:[/b] Legio XIII (now known as Lions Illustris), Emperor of Mankind

The Ethnarcy was a tiny nation in the Caucasus. Their enslaved psykers, mutant hordes and vast stashes of archeotech made them a looming threat. In 794.M30 the Emperor was invited within the Ethnarchy's impenetrable power fields for diplomatic talks at Cappadocia. The 4th Chapter of Legio XIII accompanied him. The invitation was a trap to assassinate the Emperor who received critical wounds from archeotech void blasters. The Custodes valiantly fought off the assailants until the Ethnarchy deployed their trump card, Nuncio Eviscero. Being a nightmarish genetically engineered cyborg superhuman with the null gene this abomination tore through the Custodes even if suffered crippling injuries. The unearthly assassin was preparing to finish his job when Chapter Master Cassiel leading the First Company burst forth. 

After an intense fight and dozens of lost Astartes the weakened Nuncio Eviscerio fell and the 4th Chapter of Legio XIII along with the Emperor retreated from the battlefield. Evacuation from Cappadocia seemed impossible unless they manage to pass through the power field. The journey was arduous with the 4th Chapter facing Ethnarchy warriors on a nearly constant basis. Eventually they reached the nearest underground tunnel leading to the power field generator. There they fought hellish archeotech automatons, losing entire companies to them. As they reached the Cappadocia field generator the Emperor took the lead. Utilizing his mastery over the Immaterium he overloaded not just the warp reactor maintaining the Cappadocia field but inducted a chain reaction to temporarily disable the entire power field system covering the Ethnarchy. In the end only the Emperor, a grievously wounded Cassiel and a handful other Astartes managed to escape the Ethnarchy's clever trap.

Time was short since the power field could snap back online any time. In this time of extreme need only the XIII. Legion was availible at their full strength. Moved by the heroism of Cassiel and enraged by the Ethnarchy's treachery Legio XIII alongside the Custodes, thousands of Thunder Warriors and a million soldiers from imperial vassals laid siege to the Ethnarchy with all their fervor. The Ethnarchy put out all stops and unleashed every nightmare known and unknown to man upon the invaders. After ten hours of pitched battle on all fronts the Eugenicists commanding the Ethnarchy fell and the remaining forces were in disarray. Only the XIII. Legion stood in the glorious sunset, numbering less than a thousand. This event lead to the near-annihilation of Legio XIII yet it was also their moment of great triumph. Honoring their valor and sacrifice the Emperor henceforth named them the Imperial Suns and gave them permission to bear the Aquilla.