Golden Amputation

"Behold the wrath of Oryx, coiled for ten thousand years. Behold the Golden Amputation: the fall of Taishibeth, the end of an age. We beat the worlds of Taishibeth like skull drums and we howl in joy for our black war moons as they ram silver orbitals and gleaming star-webs, where infant Taishibethi sun ravens curl and die unborn."

- The Hive , Books of Sorrow

The Golden Amputation was an ancient conflict that ensued between the early Hive and an avian species of "sun ravens" known as the Taishibethi. They were ruled by the Emperor Raven.

Events
Described as a series of "paces" in the Hive's religious text, the Books of Sorrow, the Golden Amputation chronicles the destruction of the Taishibethi and their nation.

The invasion began when Kraghoor sent a wave of Cursed Thrall to cause havoc among the Tai worlds, destroying Taishibethi orbitals, star-webs, and other infrastructure. The Taishibethi military, composed of battleplates and arsenal ships, retaliated and fought the Hive vanguard. The Warpriest entered the conflict next and defeated them, opening the way to the Tai heartland.

Mengoor and Cra'adug distinguished themselves at this time by going to a place called the Raven's Bridge, the seat or palace of the Emperor Raven, and spent the next decade warring with Tai soldiers. Eventually the Emperor Raven herself appeared and defeated them, destroying their war moon with a single swipe of her claws.

Oryx, however, was waiting and with his power he Took the Emperor before she could react, and transformed her into the Perfect Raven. From then on the Taishibethi morale waned and they were swiftly defeated. The Hive's religious text describes it as "[n]ever again [was] a Taishibethi child born". In their defeat they wailed against Oryx, asking why he fought them, contrasting their peaceful ways with his war, and he answered that only the will to exist, and to fight for it, is all that mattered.

Eventually the Taishibethi were exterminated, and the Golden Amputation was over. The conclusion of this victory resulted in Oryx being granted an audience with the Deep itself.

Trivia
The Orbitals and Star Webs of the Taishibethi bear similar resemblance to the Precursor star roads in Halo.