Rise of The Primarch

INTO THE MAELSTROM

Pandemonium seized the ships of the in a strange morass. The stars were were injured, insane or dead, and
Terran Crusade. Crushing tendrils lost behind drifting veils of unnatural even the Space Marines had taken
of empyric energy wound about energy, and twisted worlds hung substantial casualties.
the craft like the tentacles of some amidst the shimmering gloom.
leviathan beast. Bulkheads crumpled. The Terran Crusade had been
Shields blew out. Raging fires and While Belisarius Cawl coordinated reduced to a shadow of its former
punishing gravity fluctuations tore emergency repair crews to shore military strength. Not one warship
through decks. Powerless to resist, up mauled ships and save the worst had survived the ambush unscathed,
the warships were plucked from damaged craft from destruction, and many were sorely damaged.
reality and dragged into the Warp. Guilliman and his captains tallied Crushing though the sudden losses
Desperate tech adepts stumbled over the cost of the ambush. Their losses were, they were still not Roboute
their rituals as they strove madly were sobering. From a vast fleet Guilliman’s greatest worry.
to raise their ships’ Geller fields. of one hundred and twelve Space
Some succeeded, but other craft Marine, Imperial Navy and Adeptus Meeting in his strategium with the
were inundated with howling masses Mechanicus warships, barely half assembled Imperial and Space Marine
of Daemons as they were dragged, remained. Some had been lost during leaders, Guilliman expressed his
unwarded, into the Warp. Madness the Thousand Sons ambush, blown belief that the Thousand Sons must
and slaughter ran rife, and only apart by blistering firepower. More have known, by some infernal means,
the staunch determination of the had vanished during the subsequent where and when the crusade would
Imperial armies aboard each ship mayhem, cast far adrift upon the tides break from the Warp. Guilliman’s
prevented the Terran Crusade from of the Immaterium. Some, doubtless, fleet had been surrounded. Why not
being utterly annihilated. would have made it to realspace, strike the killing blow? The Primarch
scattered distant from the main body knew all too well that Magnus did
By the time Magnus’ spell ran its of the fleet. Others were surely lost, nothing without a plan, so why had
course, the ships of the Terran or worse. he allowed his erstwhile brother
Crusade had been cast deep into the to survive? It was a question that
Maelstrom. Guilliman’s fleet had, at All of the fighter craft launched returned to torture the leaders of the
least, been spat from the maw of the during the brief battle were gone, crusade again and again in the dark
Warp once more, but the region they their crews doomed to a cold and days that followed.
now found themselves in was a cursed lonely death in the void of space.
one. Within the Maelstrom, reality Hundreds upon hundreds of Chapter
and the Immaterium melted together serfs, human crewmen and servitors

Stranded deep in within the world’s glass heart, and left all who glimpsed it with
the Maelstrom, an ominous sense of dread.
with no sight of
the Emperor’s The crusade strike force located an armoured fortification
Astronomican to amongst a range of mountains, clinging limpet-like amidst
guide them, the glinting peaks. Guilliman himself led the attack that breached
surviving warriors the defences, finding to his disgust that a ragged band of
of the Terran renegade Space Marines garrisoned the fortress. Crosses daubed
Crusade required over these warriors’ Chapter iconography identified them as
some means by Red Corsairs, and the Primarch vented his pent up anger and
which they could frustration upon the luckless traitors. The battle was brief,
determine their Guilliman and a trio of Voldus’ Dreadknights slaughtering
location, and find the renegades’ leaders. However, when Guilliman successfully
their way back into seized the last traitor alive in the fortress’ vox array, a
realspace. Seizing diabolical manifestation occurred. The air crackled and rime
upon the faint transmissions emanating from a nearby moon, crawled across the metal walls of the chamber as a menacing
the crusade made for the dark planetoid in the hope of either daemonic presence spoke through the captive’s mouth. In two
capturing a traitor who could act as their unwilling guide, or mocking voices, the presence told Guilliman that, even now,
else gaining access to heretic astrogation instruments hardened Ultramar burned. The evil thing cackled that the Primarch had
against the roiling energies of the Warp. abandoned his people to wander the Maelstrom forever. Then,
it twisted the head of the captive around with a sickening crack.
Landing parties mounted gunships and Drop Pods, streaking Guilliman cursed as his only lead expired amidst the sizzle and
down through thin, pale skies onto a dark and glassy world. The bang of overloading vox banks. He vowed to locate the Daemon,
loyalists found vitrified continents, barren of life and tormented and wring the truth from it no matter what he had to endure.
by powerful, screaming winds. An unnatural light glowed deep

50

After their encounter on the glass moon, be treated as priority. Maps, charts, ADDENDA INQUISITORIA
the crusade fleet wandered aimless. With cartographic hymnals, traitor
no indication of the course that would Navigators or whatever passed for ASTROPATHIC INTERCEPT
take them to Terra, Guilliman picked Astropaths in this hellish place, were all
a direction based upon his best guess, to be seized. (PERDITUM EXTREMIS)
and instructed his captains to turn to
that heading. For the moment, hoping The fleet swept down upon the <<Origin: Unknown>>
to reach the Maelstrom’s edge seemed the fleshworld, only for the planet to fight
only available plan. back. The renegade ships belonged to a <<Temporal
warband of Emperor’s Children, who Reference: Unknown>>
How long they journeyed, none could began a thunderous empyric resonance
say, for time did not pass normally in that caused devastating sonic shock <<Astrogation
that sanity-defying place. The Primarch waves to burst from the mouths of Locality: Unknown>>
was tormented by the words of the the crystal skulls. At the same time,
Daemon, and sought any opportunity to the planet itself unfurled augmetic Course holding steady,
discover what might be occurring outside tentacles, sutured onto its living surface. Captain. Empyric
the Maelstrom. His opportunity came These monstrous appendages snatched disturbance still
when scout ships reported heretic craft several Mechanicus ships from the void increasing, but the
patrolling a twisted, fleshy planet that and stuffed them into a continent-sized light of the Emperor
hung amidst a cloud of huge crystalline maw that unpuckered at the planet’s shall bring us home.
skulls. Ordering an immediate northern pole. Soul traffick within
attack, Guilliman commanded that acceptable parameters.
the gathering of intelligence should Sustained torpedo bombardment finally
severed the world’s ironclad tentacles, Noting some malefic
while lance fire shattered dozens of the buildup around abaft
crystalline skulls and crippled several the primary port side
of the Emperor’s Children warships. batteries. Recommend the
The remaining traitor craft turned tail, Martian magi redouble
leaving their comrades to be boarded. their prayers and attend
Yet Guilliman’s sense of triumph was the Geller fields in that
once again short-lived. Though dozens sector, lest we risk
of star charts and maps were recovered, a breach.
all were blank save for the Daemon’s
mocking words to Guilliman in the There is… increased storm
Red Corsair fortress, repeated over activity on the currents
and over again. Whatever this entity to port… I… what is that?
was, it clearly sought to torment the An eye opens… Are those…
Primarch personally. mountains? No, fangs…

Hngh… my head…

Oh Throne…

Captain! Massive empyric
surge to port! Magnitude
unendurable! Ahh… it…
hurts… Captain VanDent,
you must perform crash
translation at once or we
are all lost! Alert the
fleet! This Warp surge
will devour us all!

The Emperor’s light… oh
throne, its gone! The
Astronomican is gone!

Captain!

No, no, NO…

<Excerpt Ends>

51

ON DARKER PATHS horror, that these aetheric leeches sparking, fire-wreathed wreck, the
were draining the holy energies Emperor’s blackened corpse burning
Amidst fluctuating time streams from their treasured relics, dragging within it.
and reality-warping energy storms, faint, screaming ghosts from the
the damaged ships of the crusade enshrined helms, blades and scrolls. Daemonic voices whispered into
struggled on. Within the Maelstrom In this fight, the Grey Knights came Guilliman’s mind, day and night. If
lurked countless foes, for this was a to the fore, Voldus swiftly splitting they had told him the scenes he saw
region that had long harboured the his brotherhood and deploying had already come to pass, that would
warring minions of Chaos. them by rapid teleport strike into his have been cruel enough. But this
allies’ shrines. Fighting alongside the torment was more cunning yet, for
More than once, the Imperial ships outraged Chaplains who guarded the instead the voices told Guilliman that
were forced to fight off opportunist relics, the Daemon-hunting warriors the visions were flashes of foresight.
raids by sleek hunting packs of drove the Warp leeches back and
traitor warships. Amidst a thousand- banished them to the void. They were glimpses of a singularly
mile-wide cloud of corrosive spores, dark fate that would transpire only
the crusade ships found themselves So it went on for an indeterminate should he escape the Maelstrom and
beset by swarms of vast plague flies and bewildering span of time that complete his journey to Terra. Relent
as large as frigates. The monstrous felt like impossible centuries. As in his attempt to escape, accept his
insects took a savage toll upon the the crusade fleet forged on, their Warp-tainted prison for all eternity,
smaller ships of the Crusade, until supplies running low and their crews give in to madness and despair, and
Saint Celestine took to the Navigator’s exhausted by constant battle, Roboute he would spare the Imperium from
observation blister of the Macragge’s Guilliman became ever angrier and coming to this terrible end.
Honour. Unleashing her holy light in more distracted. Unbeknownst to
a blazing shockwave, the Living Saint all, the Primarch was bedevilled by Guilliman wrestled internally with
purged the hideous Daemon beasts horrific visions. each passing day, yet he showed no
from the void. sign of his struggle to those who
Guilliman saw the realm of Ultramar looked to him for leadership and
In another uncharted reach, in flames, and the bastions of hope. The Primarch maintained his
the crusade craft found ghostly Mankind blowing away as ash upon veneer of strength and continued to
phantasms whirling around their the blood-wet winds of change. He pursue his goal of escape, determined
hulls. Howling Warp ghosts screamed was tormented by images of Mars, that he would not believe the lies of
through the corridors of the Space shattered into hundreds of pieces any entity that inhabited that hellish
Marine craft, swarming around the and raining down as flaming meteors place. Still, the Primarch’s resolve
ancient relics and honoured banners upon the once-proud ruin of Terra. eroded slowly, as a cliff washed away
of their Reclusiam shrines. The He saw the Golden Throne as a by the endless ocean waves.
Adeptus Astartes realised, to their

Long had the Sweeping down from on high, the Imperial armies slammed
crusade fleet sailed into the crystal jungles amidst explosions of jagged shards.
the Maelstrom’s Advancing upon the greatest concentration of energy signatures,
corrupted tides the loyalist forces cursed in anger and bewilderment as their
when they came to auspex readings winked out like will-o’-the-wisps. The next
Bathamor. In the moment, Tzeentchian Daemons attacked from all sides.
hours before they
hove into orbit, Barrages of sorcerous flame and mutating energies clawed at the
the name of this Ultramarines and their allies. Crystal trees detonated like huge
cursed world leapt fragmentation bombs, lacerating all who fought around them.
into the mind of In the midst of the madness, Roboute Guilliman found himself
every psyker in face to face with the architect of the devious ambush. A croaking,
the fleet, repeating two-headed nightmare clad in shimmering robes and wielding
over and over in a a potent staff of temporal power, Kairos Fateweaver coalesced
malicious whisper from amidst a glittering storm of crystal shards. Confronting
until those that heard them cried the planet’s name aloud. Auspex Guilliman, one of the hideous Daemon’s avian heads mocked
scans revealed an infernal world of kaleidoscopic crystal jungles, the Primarch’s continued efforts to escape, sneering that he had
laced through by glimmering rivers of fire. They also showed vox scried every possible strand of the future and every last one
signatures and energy readouts commensurate with a sizeable ended in his failure. Kairos’ other head crowed that Guilliman
renegade presence, and so Guilliman ordered the captains of the had always been the most unremarkable of the Emperor’s sons,
Terran Crusade fleet to prepare their forces for an immediate combat and was as incapable of saving the Imperium now as he was
drop. Once more, intelligence gathering would be paramount – with when he fell to his superior brother. Guilliman bellowed in fury
their sanity and resolve weakening by the day, the crusade knew and drove Kairos back with swings of his burning blade, before
they must escape the Maelstrom soon or perish within this seemingly leading his stricken forces in a fighting retreat. The crusade and
endless expanse of tainted space. its leader would not fall to the Oracle’s manipulation so easily…

52

Anxious as to the shapes stirred with the promise of terrible danger. Yet the
fate of the wider logistics of stripping the Corsairs’ fortress would take time,
Imperium, and even with the Primarch’s meticulously efficient plans. Thus, as
with several ships Mechanicus bulk haulers rumbled back and forth through the
now left scuttled planet’s atmosphere, Guilliman found himself wandering alone
in their wake due through the twisted citadel’s corridors. It was as he entered a
to accumulated chamber of crystal statues that a shimmering mist rose before
battle damage, the the Primarch’s eyes. Amidst the swirling patterns of light and
crusade fleet came shadow, a slender figure flickered into being. Guilliman caught
upon a world the suggestion of willowy limbs and billowing cloth, a curving
of black marble alien helm and a long stave, before the figure spoke. Like its
and bloody seas. image, the manifestation’s voice swam in and out of Guilliman’s
They struck hard perception. Yet the Lord of Ultramar was able to decipher
and fast against instructions from the figure’s words.
several Red
Corsairs strongholds, eliminating outlying enclaves before finally Guilliman was wary of further trickery, suspicious and plagued
laying siege to a fortified palace upon a claw-shaped headland by echoes of the daemonic whispers that Kairos Fateweaver
above booming, gory waves. While Archmagos Cawl coordinated had projected into his mind. Yet he sensed no taint of Chaos
the siege, Greyfax and Sicarius led a daring raiding party that in this manifestation; the energies given off by the shimmering
threw open the palace’s main gates and sealed the heretics’ doom. vision were more akin to those of the Eldar who had aided his
resurrection. At last, after repeating its message several times,
Guilliman knew that this victory offered a brief respite at best. the figure vanished, leaving the Primarch with a new sense of
The screaming of the bloody ocean was eroding his followers’ purpose and, perhaps, even a sliver of hope. Here, at last, was a
sanity, and amongst the ashen skies overhead, huge, dark heading, and Guilliman meant to follow it.

THROUGH THE STORM

Upon leaving the world of black here, their hulls linked together by Finally, after a torturous stretch of
marble and blood, the remnants of vast webs of brass chain. Lit by the time, Archmagos Cawl announced
the crusade fleet set out with new jade stars that loomed in the middle that he was reading clear space
determination. The crusade now distance, derelict craft of every sort ahead. They were nearing the edge of
numbered a third of the ships that trailed wreckage behind them as they the debris field and, more relieving
had departed Ultramar, but they hung silently in their cursed afterlife. still, it appeared they were nearing
were still led by Guilliman’s flagship, Some were familiar: ancient marks of the edge of the Maelstrom. Past the
Macragge’s Honour, and they still Imperial warship, splinter-boned Eldar last chained wrecks, the Navigators,
stood ready for battle at any moment. wrecks, hollowed Kroot Warspheres, who had been near comatose for
They had a heading at last, albeit broken-backed Hrud Warrenships, many days, could perceive a distant
one derived from the omen-laden and the empty remnants of Nicassar flicker. They awoke, muttering with
whispering of an unknown figure. Dhows. Others were unidentifiable: increasing excitement that they could
black needles of glassy material, see once more the barest shred of
Drives lit with thundering flame, ravaged structures like space-born the Astronomican’s light, as though
the warships of the Imperium clove hives, vast, angular leviathans and it shone through the gap in a partly-
through veils of frozen ichor and tiny, ellipsoid ships little bigger than a opened door.
showers of meteors encrusted with Drop Pod. How they had all come to
staring eyes. They followed a distant, be abandoned here was an unsettling Guilliman counselled caution, and
glimmering star of pure white, until it puzzle. The hazard that they – and ordered his crews to continue their
resolved itself into a massive flaming their binding chains – presented was careful, steady progress, yet he too
hole in reality. Turning to a new clear enough, however. grew more hopeful by the moment.
heading as this prophesied landmark At last, they would escape the hellish
was reached, the crusade swept The first thought of Guilliman region into which his brother Magnus
next through a sprawling region of and his captains was to attempt had hurled them. At last they could
mauve gas clouds that formed into to circumnavigate the starship continue on their road.
unrecognisable sigils and shimmered graveyard. Yet the ships trailed away,
with the eldritch power of change. seemingly into infinity above, below It was as the Macragge’s Honour
and to either side. If the crusade thrust aside the ravaged hulk of an
Emerging from the far edge of the wished to pass this way – and it Iconoclast Destroyer, and an open
gas belt after many days, the crusade’s seemed that they must if they wanted path to the edge of the graveyard
auspexes detected a triad of planets, their freedom – then they would have yawned before it, that the attack
all whirling around one another in to push forward between the wrecks. came. Cries of alarm rang through
an endless dance. This, again, was the flagship’s bridge as power spikes
just as the mystical interloper had Guilliman gave the order. Spreading flared amidst the derelicts on every
told Guilliman it would be, and the out with their Battle Barges to the side. Drifting Chaos warships lit
Primarch’s hope swelled within him at fore, the crusade ships engaged their their drives and unshrouded gun
the promise of escape. drives and raised their void shields decks, as their internal power sources
before edging into the graveyard. thundered to life.
Following the stranger’s directions, Progress was painfully slow, for in
the fleet changed its heading once places the wrecks were chained just a It was an ambush!
again, angling away from the spinning mile or so apart, tangled in vast chain
mass of planets and making for a webs like the prey of some cosmic The Red Corsairs had laid their trap
distantly visible constellation of jade arachnid. Tech-Magi and Chapter with cunning and skill, guided by
green glimmers. Soon, if the Eldar serfs flinched and sweated at each the precognitive powers of Kairos
apparition was to be believed, the new scrape and groan from their Fateweaver. They had inveigled
crusade would at last escape from crafts’ hulls as the ships forged their their ships into the far edge of the
the Maelstrom, but they would first slow and steady paths. starship graveyard, precisely where
have to brave what the figure had Kairos foresaw the loyalist fleet
described as the resting place of Despite exercising every caution, the would pass through. With the careful
hollow ghosts. larger ships could not completely application of cosmetic hull damage,
avoid collision. Ice-cold chain links and all internal systems shrouded
At first, the region appeared as a left vast gashes and dents as they to minimise output, they had mag-
silvered speckling of space, stretching skidded across reinforced exteriors. clamped severed links of chain to
out in all directions ahead of the Ancient wreckage broke apart and their hulls and posed as just another
fleet. Gradually, those glimmering scattered into the void as, here and scattering of lost craft. Now, rumbling
motes grew in size and definition there, a Battle Barge or Strike Cruiser back to life all around the shocked
until, at a distance of no more than nosed aside a drifting ship that loyalists, the Red Corsair ships
a few thousand miles, they resolved blocked its path. Each fresh collision, launched an ambush of the enemy
themselves into a breathtaking each breathless near miss, left the in their midst. Lance beams seared
and eerie sight. Thousands upon crews’ nerves frayed and passengers through adamantium hulls. Noble
thousands of wrecked ships drifted on edge as the hours crawled past. warriors who had survived countless

54

trials were obliterated by raging the launch decks of the attacking strength. He gave the order that all
firestorms, or sucked helplessly out craft. The Red Corsairs were, first and ships deploy their forces to defend
into the void. foremost, pirates. Now they sought their bridges, primary magazines,
to steal as many of the crusade’s shield generators and Warp engines,
Guilliman cursed at what must surely ships as they could, along with the then – swallowing his own distaste
be further Tzeentchian machinations. arms and armour within. Barking at the religious connotations of the
Hemmed in and outflanked, his fleet orders for his warriors to prepare for term – wished the Emperor’s blessings
was at a catastrophic disadvantage. boarders, Guilliman’s mind whirled upon all who were about to engage
Several Imperial warships attempted with counter-ambush strategies and the foe. Those who repelled boarders
to break free of the starship breakout plans. were to break free, and rendezvous
graveyard; these craft were quickly beyond the edge of the Maelstrom as
targeted and, in the case of the Raven Defence batteries studded the miles- best they could.
Guard frigate Silent Blade, shorn long flanks of the Macragge’s Honour.
clean in two. The rest fought back, As the enemy boarding craft streaked His orders issued and Captain
hammering fire into the void and closer, those guns roared to life, Sicarius, Saint Celestine and Inquisitor
tearing chunks from their attackers’ filling the void with sawing streams Greyfax at his side, Guilliman donned
ships at point-blank range. of firepower. Guilliman watched the his helm and joined the warriors he
external pict feeds intently, reading had deployed to defend the bridge. He
Chaos firepower continued to rain the patterns of destroyed foes and listened intently as vox transmissions
down upon Guilliman’s fleet in near-misses, and determining where flew back and forth throughout the
a veritable storm. The Primarch the enemy’s forces would hit his ship ship. Boarding torpedoes impacted
saw that the foe – secure in their the hardest. The Primarch narrowed by the dozen. The lower crew decks
numerical and positional superiority his eyes as the vessel’s primary auspex were overrun. Sergeant Apstrophis’
– were aiming to cripple his ships array took a direct hit, and the pict Devastators held the bulkheads before
rather than destroy them. Weapons feeds drowned in static. the enginarium primus. Then came
batteries, auspex arrays and the news that a daemonic creature
enginariums were blasted one by one, Turning away from the useless data- had manifested aboard, sweeping
leaving the crusade ships drifting and font, Guilliman issued a calm string towards the bridge at the head of a
defenceless. Guilliman knew what of orders that were circulated fleet Chaotic horde. Mere moments later
must surely come next, and cursed wide. For all those who could still the bridge bulkheads shuddered, then
aloud as he saw wave after wave of hear him, the Primarch commended exploded inwards upon a bow wave of
boarding torpedoes released from their remarkable courage and unnatural flame.

THE RED CORSAIRS After a succession
of sieges that
The Astral Claws Chapter had been stationed outside the culminated with
terrifyingly dangerous Warp rift known as the Maelstrom Huron’s defeat at the
for over three centuries when they defected to Chaos. Palace of Thorns,
Failing to submit their gene-seed tithes as was decreed by the Imperium was
law, an Imperial fleet was despatched to investigate. As finally victorious.
the fleet entered orbit around Badab, the Astral Claws The Astral Claws
Chapter planet, they were engulfed by a sudden and and the most corrupt
ferocious firestorm. Lufgt Huron, the Chapter Master of their allies were
of the Astral Claws, had ordered the attack and ensured forced to flee into
that not a single Imperial ship escaped his ambush. the Maelstrom. There
they were reborn
Though it took time for news of the massacre to filter as the piratical Red
back to the Adeptus Terra, retribution was inevitable. Corsairs, and, far from dying amidst the hellish tides,
The eventual backlash saw several Chapters of Space they prospered.
Marines diverted onto a punitive mission to slay the
Tyrant of Badab and his Astral Claws. However, so Now known as Huron Blackheart, the former Tyrant of
inspirational was Huron’s rhetoric that several nearby Badab commands a vast number of traitors. Providing
Chapters, including the Mantis Warriors, Executioners they swear allegiance to his banner, any turncoat
and Lamenters, had defected to his empire. Space Marines are welcomed into his piratical empire.
Operating out of hidden bases concealed throughout the
The war that followed was absolutely merciless; the Maelstrom, surviving through conquest and pillaging,
loyalists fought with the fury and conviction of the the Red Corsairs gladly turn their guns on those they
betrayed, while Huron’s followers were forced by their once called brothers.
choices into fighting with absolute conviction.

55





MACRAGGE’S HONOUR

The Chaos onslaught was swift and Then came Kairos. The first warning fist obliterated an enemy with every
savage. It had to be, for though the the loyalists had of the Greater blow. Daemons exploded in sprays of
Ultramarines were outnumbered, they Daemon’s onset was a thickening unnatural ichor before Guilliman’s
held an incredibly defensible position of the air as the empyrean stirred. fury, while those traitors foolish
against the enemy boarding parties. Librarian Pollonius cried out in enough to stand in his path were
Guilliman’s sons crouched behind sudden agony, hands clamped to his smashed aside like rag dolls.
consoles artfully designed to double skull and eyes bulging as the energies
as barricades in the event of a breach. of his own mind were turned against Following the trail of carnage
More of their number occupied him. Fast as lightning, Guilliman wrought by their Primarch, Sicarius
elevated positions on gantries and hurled himself aside, barging Captain and his battle-brothers hacked and
balconies overlooking the bulkhead, Sicarius clear in the instant before blasted those enemies who tried to
taking up positions amidst the Pollonius’ body detonated in a wave of encircle Guilliman. Sicarius himself
looming grandeur of the bridge. blue fire. Several Ultramarines were was a blur, his Talassarian Tempest
not so lucky, their armour dissolving Blade drawing golden arcs through
The first servants of Chaos to bound and flesh turning to ash as the flames the air as it lopped horned helms
and cartwheel onto the bridge had washed over them. from armoured shoulders, and
absolutely no cover whatsoever. Pink split Daemons in two. At the same
Horrors of Tzeentch were engulfed ‘YOU ARE A RELIC OF A BYGONE AGE, time, blinding light shone from
in a storm of disciplined, expertly A FOOTNOTE TO YOUR FATHER’S Saint Celestine as she carved her
aimed fire that ripped them to pieces. way through the Warpspawn, and
Into the meat grinder poured more FAILURES. YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED Inquisitor Greyfax sent one traitor
and more Daemons, while behind IN THE PAST WHERE YOU BELONGED, after another crashing to their knees
them squads of Red Corsairs lunged PRIMARCH, FOR YOU HAVE NO PLACE IN as she crushed their minds with her
through the blasted bulkhead and telepathic powers.
dashed for any cover they could find. THIS FUTURE.’
It did not take Kairos’ matchless
Bolters roared, their massed echo - Kairos Fateweaver future-sight to foresee that his enemy
and strobing muzzle flare rolling would attempt to reach and slay him.
around the bridge like a raging As the commanders of the The Lord of Change was no match for
thunderstorm. Daemons exploded in Ultramarines reeled, the next rain Guilliman in battle, but armed with
puffs of ectoplasm, smaller simulacra of firepower to fall upon the kill box his faultless precognition, he had long
bursting from their corpses to be was transmogrified. Instead of mass- prepared for this moment. Now, as
mowed down in turn. Traitor Space reactive shells and whistling grenades, the Lord of Ultramar smashed his way
Marines clad in the defaced liveries all that struck the attacking hordes closer, Kairos set his devious scheme
of a dozen Chapters fell dead upon was shimmering starlight and wisps of in motion by unleashing a pulse of
the killing ground, their armoured silver steam. blue flame from his staff.
corpses continuing to twitch and jerk
as more rounds struck them. Bolt A fresh wave of leaping Flamers and Nine Heralds of Tzeentch had worked
shells, plasma blasts, las beams and cackling Horrors surged through their way through the press of battle,
missiles fell like hailstones, ripping the bulkhead and leapt to the attack. concealed behind shimmering
the deck plates to blackened ruin and More Red Corsairs came with them, spells of illusion. At Kairos’ signal,
annihilating dozens of invaders. lumbering Chaos Terminators and the leering Daemons cast aside
fang-helmed warriors with bolters their sorcerous shrouds and began
Inevitably, though, the boarders blazing. At their back, his ragged a babbling incantation. Bolt shells
began to gain ground. A jetting blast wings spread wide and his staff whipped in towards the Heralds the
of purple fire leapt out to turn a tapping before him, came Kairos moment they appeared, but their
gantry to slime, sending a squad of Fateweaver himself. Daemon minions leapt willingly
Red Corsairs Terminators tumbling a into the path of the shots. Shielded
hundred feet into the vox pits below. Seeing the Lord of Change, by the shimmering flesh of their
A cluster of krak grenades rained Guilliman roared a battle cry and underlings, the Heralds continued
down upon a console-barricade, their charged. Sicarius and his warriors their chant, nine voices rolling and
detonations killing one Veteran and followed close on their Primarch’s twining with each other over the
forcing two more to beat a hasty heels, while Greyfax and Celestine cacophony of battle. Raising the Staff
retreat. In the moments before he fell, hurled themselves into the foe to of Tomorrow high above his heads,
a Red Corsair unloaded his plasma either side. Kairos joined his croaking voices to
gun into another barricade, killing the burgeoning spell.
several Ultramarines before being Guilliman stormed through Daemons
killed by his own overheated weapon and traitors alike, his flaming sword Since Guilliman had first entered
exploding in his hands. So it went swiping in unstoppable arcs. Volleys the Maelstrom and begun to hear
on, the enemy eroding Guilliman’s of shells thundered from the Hand Kairos whispering in his mind, the
defences through reckless assaults. of Dominion, while the crushing Greater Daemon had been planting

58

traps in the Primarch’s subconscious. energies, Guilliman tried again to Though the Daemon was wounded
It had not been easy, for Guilliman’s forge a path forward, but with a sorely by the explosive impacts,
mind was a pristine fortress of order howl of pain he went down on one his chant did not stop. Instead, it
and rationality, and his mental knee. Greyfax, bogged down in the redoubled in intensity, the Daemon’s
defences were formidable. Yet slowly, morass of combat, could only watch voices ringing out cruel and cold.
carefully, the deed had been done. helplessly, while Celestine’s attempt to Whirling and lashing, the coloured
Kairos had teased forth Guilliman’s fly to the Primarch’s aid was thwarted streamers of ectoplasmic energy
guilt, his anger and disappointment as several Daemons latched onto surged from the Primarch’s mind.
at what remained of the Imperium, her wings. All of Guilliman’s negative emotions,
his fears for its future. The Daemon all of the threads of madness and
had intended to continue his work Sicarius and his battle-brothers, wrath and fear that Kairos had seeded
until the Primarch was quite mad crying out in impotent fury, tried into his mind, blossomed forth and
before attempting this ritual, but to cut their way through the foe, wrapped themselves like vines around
the intervention of the interfering hoping to stop the incantation in any the Primarch. They thickened and
Eldar had forced Kairos’ hand. way they could. The 2nd Company twisted, pulsing with power as they
His preparations would have to be Captain ordered all fire concentrated hardened into heavy crystal chains.
enough, or else Guilliman would upon the Daemons tormenting the
surely banish him back to the Warp Primarch. It did no good. Those shots Arms and legs bound tight, Guilliman
and escape. aimed at Kairos puffed away as clouds crashed to his knees once more. This
of glittering dust, while the Heralds time, held firmly by Kairos’ spell,
Swaying and gibbering, spinning remained shielded behind squirming he was unable to rise. The Oracle,
and leaping, the Daemons worked bulwarks of Daemon flesh. projecting his voices to every warrior
their spell and dragged forth the upon the bridge, commanded the
incantations laced within Guilliman’s Though the outnumbered Ultramarines, the Saint and the
mind. The Primarch stumbled, Ultramarines fought furiously, Inquisitor to lay down their arms at
bellowing in pain as streamers of they could not reach the daemonic once. If they did not, the Primarch
incandescent energy poured from sorcerers to stop their ritual. Roaring would be crushed and throttled to
his eyes and open mouth. Squirming his anger, Guilliman surged to his feet death before their eyes. One by one,
tendrils of green guilt twined around once more, hammering off a volley of the guns fell silent as the horrified
serpentine streamers of disgust shells that struck Kairos Fateweaver Ultramarines complied. The battle
and surging red tendrils of anger. and ripped bloody chunks from his was over, and Kairos Fateweaver stood
Engulfed by the whirling storm of gaunt torso. gloating and victorious.

KAIROS FATEWEAVER such times, Kairos
uses his unique
Lying at the heart of the Impossible Fortress, the Well perspective and
of Eternity is said to be the place where space and time prescience to
originate and end. To understand its secrets, one would influence the
have to enter its raging depths, but even the great god course of the
Tzeentch does not dare do so. Unable to resist the battle, ensuring
temptations of unravelling the riddle, but unwilling that friends are
to risk himself, Tzeentch grabbed his vizier, a Lord of advantaged and
Change known as Kairos Fateweaver, and cast him into foes left helpless.
the roiling currents of the well.
Kairos delights
To Tzeentch’s pleasure, Kairos survived his ordeal, in pitting his
but only just. When Kairos resurfaced, his body was foes against
unnaturally aged and ragged, and his neck had split each other, subtly twisting the strands of fate so that
along its length to now support not one head, but two. one mortal dies when he should have lived, and vice-
After an eternity within the Well, these two heads can see versa. Of late, however, the Oracle has been angry and
things that remain hidden from even Tzeentch’s gaze. unsettled. Roboute Guilliman’s return vexed Kairos
Kairos’ right head sees visions of all possible futures, deeply; according to every omen, every foretelling and
while his left bears witness to the entirety of the past. strand of fate visible to him, it should not have occurred.
These gifts were not bestowed upon Kairos without a Yet it had, and the resurrected Primarch now loomed
price, for whilst his heads perceive everything that has large over all of Kairos’ schemes. The Lord of Change
happened, and everything that ever will, he is blind could not dare to wait and see how Guilliman might
to the present. This curse makes Kairos vulnerable to skew the paths of fate; the Primarch had to be dealt with,
physical attack, and so Tzeentch only ever sends him into and swiftly.
battle to effect critical junctures in his ineffable plan. At

59





RISE OF THE PRIMARCH

CHAPTER 3

‘THEY SHALL BE MY SONS, AND IN
THEM WILL LIVE THE HOPES OF A
UNIFIED HUMANITY. THEIRS WILL
BE THE STRENGTH TO PREVAIL, NOT
ONLY WHEN VICTORY LIES WITHIN
EASY REACH, BUT EVEN WHEN IT
SEEMS UNATTAINABLE, WHEN DOOM
SETTLES LIKE A SHROUD ALL ABOUT.

IN THOSE TIMES OF DARKNESS,
MY NOBLE SONS WILL SHINE THE

BRIGHTEST OF ALL.’

- Attributed to the Emperor
of Mankind



WARRING GODS

With Guilliman’s capture, the bonds of crystallised guilt, anger, gaolers in return for the boons of
battle of the starship graveyard sorrow and madness that Kairos had foresight that Kairos could grant, and
was lost. Those Imperial warriors forged from his psyche. so the Fateweaver felt confident that
who did not surrender under his captive would remain locked away.
threat of the Primarch’s death Led by the piratical Lord Verngar
were killed, or forced to capitulate. the Apostate, a huge warband Perhaps it was the mysterious
Champion Amalrich was amongst of Red Corsairs garrisoned the influence of the fortress itself;
the latter, wrestled down and beaten Blackstone Fortress. Much of the perhaps Guilliman’s anomalous
unconscious by a mob of Red Corsairs structure slumbered, for the traitors presence within the strands of fate
as he single-handedly held the breach lacked the knowledge to awaken distorted them in ways that even
into his ship’s enginarium. the ancient construct or access the the Fateweaver could not perceive.
shrouded regions near its heart. Still, Whatever the case, as he made
The loyalists and their stolen warships their fortifications were well built, preparations to leave the Blackstone
were taken under heavy guard to the their numbers huge and their fleet Fortress, the Daemon did not foresee
nearest Red Corsairs stronghold. To powerful. Kairos Fateweaver deemed the vast horde descending upon him.
their shock, this turned out to be one that this would be as good a prison
of the ancient Blackstone Fortresses. as any to leave Roboute Guilliman in From the depths of the Maelstrom
How such a mighty structure had to rot. Though the Lord of Change came an enormous armada. Dozens
found its way onto the tides of the had been vehement in his efforts to upon dozens of ships thundered
Maelstrom, none of the Imperial remove Guilliman from the galactic toward the Blackstone Fortress, their
warriors knew. Ultimately it mattered stage, he did not wish the Primarch hulls encrusted with gore and skulls.
little. Stripped of their weapons dead. A chained demigod was too The rune of Khorne was branded
and their honour, Guilliman and rich a source of power to simply upon these spiked battleships, and
his surviving followers – a force that cast aside, and Kairos planned to daemonic fires danced in their wake.
included hundreds of Space Marines, keep his victim hidden away in the
Grey Knights and Skitarii, along with Maelstrom until certain future Before the fleet blazed a monstrous,
their engines of war – were dragged junctures were reached. Already, the blood-red comet wreathed in furious
into the depths of the traitor fortress Daemon could see several moments black flame. A fanged maw yawned
and hurled into spell-shielded cells. where unleashing a Primarch driven wide upon that hurtling fireball,
The Adeptus Astartes were chained insane might produce most intriguing and eyes swimming with insane fury
with adamantium links, while their results. The Red Corsairs, for their stared from its depths. So came
leader still languished in the awful part, would readily act as Guilliman’s Skarbrand to the Blackstone Fortress,

The six Blackstone Fortresses were discovered early for exceptional deep-space naval bases. Towed into
in the Imperium’s history, scattered across the void. position by pilot craft, and encrusted with secondary
Seemingly ancient even at that time, the dormant Imperial structures, the Blackstone Fortresses became
structures were cyclopean in scale and utterly mysterious. cornerstones of Imperial naval might.
No sign could be found of those who constructed them.
Despite exhaustive attempts at analysis, none could It was during the horrors of the Gothic War – one of
determine the nature of the super-hardened, onyx-like Abaddon the Despoiler’s notorious Black Crusades – that
metals from which they were constructed. the Blackstone Fortresses were awoken. None know how
the Despoiler came by the fell lore required to bring
The Imperium claimed the Blackstone Fortresses for its the Blackstone Fortresses to life, but as the Gothic War
own. Even dormant, the enormous battle stations made ground on, it became clear that Abaddon’s primary
objective was to seize as many of these titanic weapons
platforms as he could. By the end of that tumultuous
naval conflict, several fortresses were in the hands of the
Black Legion, and at least one more had been destroyed.

It was one of these legendary battle stations that was
given as a gift by the Despoiler to Huron Blackheart in
the wake of his rebellion against the Imperium. Such
a kingly offering not only bought the loyalty of the
Red Corsairs for Abaddon’s great galactic endeavour,
but also demonstrated the sheer incredible might of
the Despoiler. After all, a warlord who could afford to
give away even one such preeminent weapon must be
supremely confident in their own power.

64

blazing through the void to crash
with explosive force into the station’s
outer hull. Khornate warships sped
in his wake, fanning out to hammer
the battle station with firepower even
as teeming swarms of landing craft
spilled from their flanks.

The Red Corsairs, first surprised and
then outraged at this sudden attack,
rallied swiftly and fought back. Even
as their fortifications were opened to
the void and blasted to blazing scrap,
the corsairs’ gun batteries cycled up
and filled the void with fire. Havoc
squads sent volleys of shots lancing
out to blast landing craft from the air,
while Obliterators directed withering
fire into the Khornate hordes already
spilling across the fortress’ outer
hull. A furious battle raged in the
silence of space, thumping explosions
plucking Khorne Berzerkers from the
fortress’ night-black skin and sending
them tumbling away into the void.

Within the Blackstone, flashes of
pale green luminescence danced
along darkened corridors, the ancient
structure warning its denizens of
danger. Red Corsairs deployed in
disciplined firing lines, then filled
entire passageways with crashing
bolter fire as masses of Khornate
warriors charged towards them.
Chain axes carved through armour
and flesh, while bolt-riddled corpses
crashed to the ground aflame.

Through the mayhem stalked Kairos,
screeching with dismay at this
unforeseen turn of events. Conjuring
forth masses of Tzeentchian
Daemons, he hurled them into
battle in an attempt to drive back
the invaders. Yet bloody mists were
gathering as the slaughter continued,
and from their depths sprang red-
scaled cohorts of Khornate Daemons
that eagerly joined the carnage.

Meanwhile, deep within the
Blackstone Fortress, Guilliman
listened to the distant clangour, and
gathered his strength in case a chance
to escape should arise.

STRANGE ALLIANCES

Furious battle spread like wildfire shuriken and fusion energies hurled T hrough dancing flames,
through the outer corridors and traitor corpses to the floor in mists Guilliman watched the
Imperial structures of the Blackstone of blood. robed figure approach. The
Fortress. Meanwhile, deep within Primarch did not recognise this cowled
the fortress’ hidden core, eldritch A single one of the traitors – Space Marine, but he knew the Legion
energies flickered into life. Unseen by unhelmed and horn-headed – roared whose colours he wore.
the warring armies, a band of figures in pain as a Harlequin drove her
slipped from a portal that had lain at blade through one of his knee joints, ‘You are Roboute Guilliman,’ said
the fortress’ heart since the dawn of then cart wheeled around him to the mysterious Space Marine as he
its existence. They moved swiftly and kick his bolter from his hands. She stopped outside the Primarch’s cell.
silently, a lithe procession of shadows completed her attack with an elegant
accompanied by a larger, robed back flip, one foot catching the ‘And you are one of the Lion’s
figure that moved with the stealth of traitor under the chin and smashing sons,’ replied Guilliman. ‘You keep
a ghost. him onto his back. questionable company, Dark Angel.
Who are you, and why are you here?’
Up through the darkened labyrinth The Harlequin sprang away, and the
the figures came, and the fortress’ Red Corsair fumbled for his side arm. ‘I can free you,’ replied the hooded
quiescent systems stirred to life at He froze as a robed figure in ornate figure, deigning not to answer the
their approach. Iris-shaped portals power armour loomed over him. The Primarch’s questions.
that had stood closed for thousands traitor had never heard of Cypher,
of years opened, and the breath of for the Fallen Angel was an enigma Realising that no further explanation
ancient millennia gusted through. whose existence was hidden from was forthcoming, Guilliman frowned.
Dust stirred into drifting clouds most. He did, however, recognise the ‘Can,’ he rumbled. ‘Not will. What do
at the figures’ passing, but none threat of the two heavy pistols now you want in return?’
amongst them left a single footprint. hovering before his face.
‘You will take me to Terra,’ replied the
Guilliman and his Ultramarines Wordlessly, Cypher stared down at Dark Angel. ‘To the Throne.’
were shut inside cells that lined the the Red Corsair, his eyes glinting
circular walls of a huge, cylindrical beneath his cowl. The traitor stared The malefic flames crackled and the
chamber. These alcoves were closed back, yellowed gaze burning with distant sounds of battle rumbled on
off not by metal bars or locked doors, defiance and hate. Cypher gestured as Guilliman’s silence stretched long.
but by flickering sheets of sorcerous, with one of his pistols towards Even bound in sorcerous chains, the
mutagenic flame. A full squad of Red the cells that lined the walls. The Primarch’s presence was immense,
Corsairs stood guard over them, their movement was minimal, but the his steady glare thunderous. Yet the
guns trained unwaveringly upon the meaning clear. Growling low in his Dark Angel stood unwavering, like a
one functional doorway that led into throat, the corsair reached slowly into statue carved from granite. Guilliman
this shadowy prison. a pouch at his belt and drew forth a strained once more against his bonds,
rune-inscribed amulet. The key to and again found them unyielding.
Unseen, another doorway slid dispelling the magics that held the
open in the chamber’s curving cells closed. ‘It seems that my choices are to rot
wall, directly behind the guards. here, or accede to your demand,’ said
In absolute silence, the Harlequins Cypher nodded his gratitude, then the Primarch slowly. ‘The former
of the Laughing God rolled, raised one booted foot and stamped would be to fail in my duty, so I
tumbled and span from within, their down on the traitor’s head. Bone suppose it will have to be the latter.
movements a sinister dance to some smashed and blood sprayed, the But understand this, Dark Angel. If
unheard song of the dead. They drew corsair’s body twitching then lying you seek to trick or manipulate me,
closer to the renegade Space Marines still. Holstering his bolt pistol, the nothing in this galaxy will save you.’
with every graceful step, naked blades Fallen Angel plucked the key from
held ready for murder. his victim’s open gauntlet, and then One corner of the stranger’s mouth
straightened up. He found himself lifted into a small, bitter smile.
The first the Red Corsairs knew of staring into the shifting mask of the ‘As you say,’ he muttered, then
their peril was a sudden, whirlwind Shadowseer, Sylandri Veilwalker. She brandished the runic stone held in his
attack from behind. Perfectly who had contacted Guilliman as he off hand. The flames of Guilliman’s
dispersed and lethally poised, the wandered lost in the Maelstrom. She cell died away in response, followed by
Eldar struck with murderous grace. who had enlisted Cypher’s aid, and the fires of every other cell around the
Rapier blades punched out through instructed Belisarius Cawl to leave his chamber’s edge.
chest plates in sprays of blood. forge on Mars. Veilwalker sketched
Monofilament needles slithered a mocking bow to Cypher, then
through the chinks in their victims’ pointed her staff towards a distant
power armour, liquefying organs in cell. With a nod, Cypher turned and
milliseconds. Point-blank hails of strode towards it.

66

CYPHER

There is one whom the Masters of the is unclear. Cypher seldom instigates Angels always turn up along the
Dark Angels seek above all others. the violent acts that invariably occur trail. Grim-faced and taciturn as to
He is a being wrapped in shadow, an when he is present; it is rather that their purpose, they query any who
entity whose every move is cloaked in he seems to act as a catalyst, fanning were in contact or might have spoken
mystery. His motives and methods are the hatred and mistrust of those with Cypher. Those who have some
an enigma; even the title by which he around him into a raging fire. Cypher knowledge, or are even suspected of
is known seems to conceal something, vanishes from the scene as abruptly as having some, are taken away by black-
though whether it is a metaphor or yet he arrives. Worlds burn in his wake. armoured Interrogator-Chaplains.
another conundrum is unknown. He Few return.
is Cypher, and to the Dark Angels, he Besides havoc and ruin, there is
is their most hated foe. another trail that Cypher leaves As to who or what Cypher truly
behind; legend and rumour abound is, none can say. Those who have
The Dark Angels have been chasing after the passage of the mysterious witnessed him in action report that
Cypher since the catastrophic fall of robed figure. The intrigue over his he wears simple ceremonial robes,
Caliban, eluding capture for nearly rapid departure is magnified by the much like those of the Dark Angels.
ten thousand years. During that time, inevitable wave of ensuing questions. Beneath his garment can be seen the
Cypher has appeared in each of the Sometimes these interrogations are thick plates of dark power armour.
five segmentums, materialising as if conducted by Inquisitors or their Stranger still by far, however, is that
from nowhere. Wherever he surfaces, agents, while at others Chaos Space no matter where in the galaxy Cypher
he brings with him death and Marines seek more knowledge about surfaces, it is only a matter of time
destruction, although whether he is the cryptic figure that weaves in and before the Dark Angels or one of
the culprit or merely a herald of woe out of their strongholds. The Dark their successor Chapters follow.

Despite the constant search for
Cypher, none have yet been successful
in capturing or destroying him. Or
so it would seem. The Dark Angels
have believed Cypher neutralised on
numerous occasions, yet he always
returns. His loyalties and motivations
remain impossible to guess at, for
though he has fought by the side
of both Imperial and Chaos forces
over the millennia, he nearly always
betrays his allies after a time. Some
believe that Cypher follows some
vast plan that no other can guess,
save perhaps the Emperor himself.
Others think his appearances and
acts are random, the caprice of a
being whose very existence should
be an impossibility. Whatever the
truth, none have ever captured the
mysterious Space Marine for long
enough to find out.

67

DAEMONWAR

As the fires flickered out, Sylandri The first stasis chamber they broke Red Corsairs and Daemons sent to cut
Veilwalker stepped forward and open contained Saint Celestine and them off.
began a weaving, elaborate dance. her Geminae Superia. The second
Guilliman’s eyes widened as he brought a reunion with Archmagos Though Guilliman and his followers
recognised the figure who had Cawl and his Mechanicus forces. fought furiously, their advance slowed
appeared to him in his vision, and With Dunecrawlers stalking at their to a crawl. Pushing through a vast
directed him towards freedom. Had backs and ranks of Skitarii and Battle chamber of twisting bridges and
the Eldar meant for him to escape Servitors lending their firepower, the black chasms, they found themselves
the Maelstrom, or had she always loyalists swiftly overwhelmed the Red surrounded on every side. Matters
intended the crusade fleet to be Corsairs standing guard over the final looked grim, but it was in that
ambushed and brought here? Such stasis chamber. Within, they found moment that spectral flames leapt
questions would have to wait, realised not only Voldus, his Grey Knight amidst the foe. Auspex readings
the Primarch as the Shadowseer’s brothers and their Dreadknights, but flickered wildly, and ghostly voices
magics went to work. all the other Space Marines of the whispered and hissed through the vox
crusade, as well as the dozens of tanks networks as shadowy figures stepped
Shimmering lights coiled around and Dreadnought brothers they had from the inferno and opened fire.
the dancing Harlequin. Where the brought with them in their war ships. Clad in black and bone, wreathed
witch-light fell, the chains binding in aetheric fire, the Legion of the
the loyalist Space Marines fell away Captain Sicarius now suggested Damned had arrived in the crusade’s
as dust. Even the devious sorceries of that they cut a swift path through hour of need. Their thunderous
Kairos Fateweaver were undone, and the battle to reclaim their ships. volleys swept the Chaos forces from
Guilliman smiled a dangerous smile Veilwalker shook her head. Thousands the bridges to Guilliman’s fore, and,
as his crystal fetters shattered. of Heretic Astartes and Daemons with Veilwalker whirling and leaping
battled across the fortress. Fighting at his side, the Primarch led the
The freed Ultramarines still wore around the docking spars was thick. advance once again.
their armour, but were unarmed. Any attempt to recover the crusade’s
Answering their questions before craft was doomed. The loyalists still Long, bloody minutes of battle
they could be asked, the Shadowseer might have attempted to recapture followed, gunfire flashing back and
revealed that the loyalists’ weapons, their fleet, until the Shadowseer forth in the gloom. Though both
their vehicles and their allies had told them that the human crews sides raced as fast as they could to
been locked inside a string of stasis who had kept the ships operational beat the other to the prize, Guilliman
vaults some distance from their cells, were all dead, sacrificed alongside and his army reached the heart of the
but that she could lead them there. the crusade’s Imperial Guardsmen Blackstone Fortress at the same time
Guilliman gestured for his mysterious and Battle Sisters. Worse, the fleet’s as their foes. The chamber itself was
benefactor to lead on. The Primarch Navigators had been spirited away in vast, easily a hundred miles across.
did not trust the Eldar, nor the chains upon a fast ship, bound for Both its ceiling and its floor were
shadowy Space Marine who had come Huron Blackheart’s personal fortress. lost in shadow. Entrancing patterns
with them, but while his brilliant of shimmering lights crawled across
mind worked out the angles of their Fortunately, Veilwalker knew another the walls, and flickered up and
involvement, he would allow them way to escape – the route Cypher down the titanic black column that
to lead him to the rest of his forces. and the Harlequins of the Veiled rose at the chamber’s heart. Out
After all, Guilliman would never Path had used to reach Guilliman, from that column, like the distorted
abandon his father’s sword within this and the route they would use to branches of some dark arboreal
den of snakes, nor the courageous lead him on towards Terra. At the deity, radiated hundreds of bridges,
allies who had accompanied him fortress’ heart, trammelled by ancient stairways, platforms and gantries, all
upon his quest. technology and still operational after shimmering with the same, vaguely
millennia, was a stabilised route bioluminescent lights that danced
Veilwalker and her Harlequins led the into the webway. The pathways it led across the walls.
loyalists out of the doorway through into were huge, arterial routes that
which she had entered the prison. even starships could navigate – they Countless dark doorways opened
Several hundred battle-hungry would accommodate the Imperial war onto the Blackstone Fortress’ heart,
Ultramarines followed her lead, with machines with ease. huge portals that seemed wrought for
Guilliman, Sicarius, and Cypher at giants. From some spilled Daemons
their head. It was a capable force, Bursting from the armoury, the of Tzeentch, fires flaring amidst
even without guns and blades, and Imperial army and their guides made the darkness. Others vomited the
they travelled at a run down shadowed for the lower tunnels. The awakening Daemons of Khorne, loping in
corridors and stairwells. Haste was of the fortress’ deeper chambers had snarling packs across soaring bridges
more important than stealth; even not gone unnoticed, however. As they wide enough for Titans to cross.
with the battle raging above, their hastened further into the ancient
escape would soon be noticed. structure, the loyalists encountered Many of the massing Daemons were
stiffening resistance from bands of still distant, small figures rendered

68

insectile by the scale of the chamber,
but great hosts of them would still
intercept Guilliman’s forces before
they could reach the heart of the
chamber. That was where they must
go, however – Veilwalker indicated
a distant platform set into the black
column’s flank. Upon it, Guilliman
could see the faint shimmer of
esoteric energies dancing, and knew
that this was the webway entrance of
which the Shadowseer spoke.

Guilliman ordered the advance. His
forces flowed out across the nearest
bridges, guided through the labyrinth
of interconnected platforms and
arc-bridges by the Troupes of the
Veiled Path. Loping Dreadknights
and roaring Space Marine tanks led
the way, squads of Adeptus Astartes,
Grey Knights and Skitarii advancing
behind them.

The crossing became more dangerous
as firepower whipped across the
yawning gulfs to tear at the loyalists.
Fights broke out as Red Corsairs
let fly from higher walkways and
Cannons of Khorne spat screaming
skulls. Platforms as broad as
parade grounds played host to
crashing battles as packs of Daemon
Engines clashed with squadrons
of Ultramarine battle tanks. The
loyalists fired as they moved, blasting
paths through the massing foe.
At the same time, the forces of
Khorne and Tzeentch fell upon one
another, Bloodletters hacking their
way down ichor-slick stairways while
Horrors scoured platforms clear with
shimmering flame.

Far away across the chamber,
Guilliman caught sight of Kairos
Fateweaver, exhorting his followers
into battle and hurling bolts of
sorcery at the loyalists from afar. Yet
the Lord of Change clearly did not
care to face Guilliman’s resurgent
wrath, for he stayed far removed from
the white heat of the battle.

Not so Skarbrand. Hacking his
way through a gaping portal in the
chamber’s wall, the Bloodthirster
blazed like a furious pyre. His bellows
echoed through the cavernous space,
primal roars of bloodlust that infected
the minds of all who heard them.

69

Under Skarbrand’s influence, tumbling away like embers into the axes hacked and lashed in huge,
Guilliman’s battle-brothers became darkness below. haymaker arcs, Guilliman barely
more reckless and aggressive by blocking or evading each blow.
the moment. Contaminated by the Already the rearmost warriors of
Daemon’s fury, Amalrich and the Guilliman’s force were turning back, The Primarch could feel his hate
last of the Black Templars turned tanks and battle-brothers alike lost to and rage building to new heights,
aside from their route and hurled the Bloodthirster’s madness. Realising eclipsing his strategic sense
themselves into an onrushing mass control was about to slip from his altogether. Dimly he realised that,
of Khornate Daemons. Blood sprayed grasp, Guilliman commanded all soon, he would hurl himself at
as a savage melee broke out. For a the remaining Imperials to make Skarbrand, hacking madly until his
moment the Primarch considered for the portal. A final bridge leapt head was struck from his shoulders.
diverting his own forces to help out across the void to connect the
Amalrich’s, but with Skarbrand platform on which Guilliman stood With a titanic effort of will,
storming closer and Daemons to the one where the portal flickered. Roboute Guilliman forced down the
swarming on every front, there The Primarch took position at the supernatural rage that was drowning
was no time. With a heavy heart, head of that bridge, standing firm his rational mind. Gasping with
Guilliman barked orders through the with blade drawn as all who could still effort, the Primarch trapped the
vox, steadying the Ultramarines and follow his orders did so. Infantry and furious fires in a ring of cold, mental
their Primogenitors with the sheer vehicles streamed past him, following steel. Even as he continued to fight
force of his will. Bellowing, Amalrich the Harlequins into the webway, until his monstrous foe in reality, he fought
hurled himself into battle with mighty only Sicarius and Celestine remained, a second battle in his mind. Step by
Skarbrand, his black blade clashing waiting by the portal’s entrance. step, he pushed back against his rage.
with the Bloodthirster’s axes again
and again. Skarbrand stormed through the last With a final scream of mental
of the Legion of the Damned and anguish, Guilliman forced down
With Voldus and his Dreadknights onto the platform. Guilliman felt the all his fury and hatred, and locked
leading, and the relentless spectres of structure shudder and flex beneath them away behind impenetrable
the Legion of the Damned fighting a the Bloodthirster’s weight. Then fortifications. As he did so, the fires
silent rearguard, the crusade closed the Daemon’s burning eyes found that he perceived around him died
on the webway entrance. Cawl and his Guilliman’s, and the Primarch felt away, and the bridge to safety swam
Skitarii mowed down rank after rank unreasoning fury surge through him. back into focus. Beyond it, Sicarius
of Daemons. Novamarine Vindicators Skarbrand had come for Guilliman’s and Saint Celestine were exhorting
blasted a trio of bridges that the skull, that he might honour Khorne him to move before it was too late.
enemy were using in an attempt to with it, and the Daemon did not
outflank, sending flailing Horrors intend to allow his quarry to Unwilling to let his enemy escape,
plunging into the void. Greyfax and escape now. Skarbrand hurled himself in a
Celestine fought side by side, hacking wild lunge with axes raised high.
down a trio of Tzeentchian Heralds In Guilliman’s mind, hellish fires Guilliman coolly assessed the threat,
in as many minutes. The Harlequins rose up on every side, full of the raising the Hand of Dominion and
were everywhere at once, sprinting leering faces of his brothers who blasting the Daemon backwards.
along walkways, bounding between had fallen to Chaos. With every
bridges, hacking and slashing with step that Skarbrand took towards Skarbrand bellowed in anger as
breathtaking skill as they wove a him, Guilliman’s ire grew, while at explosive shells tore into his cranium
dance of battle around the loyalists. his back the bridge seemed to melt and blew fleshy gobbets across the
away as molten slag until there was platform. Step by step, the Daemon
That was when Skarbrand gave nothing but the Primarch and the was driven back, yet still he did
a deafening bellow of fury and Bloodthirster, trapped together in an not fall. Gritting his teeth at the
took a running leap. The cursed arena of roaring flame. sight of the enemy drawing close,
Bloodthirster sailed across the gulf, Guilliman fired the last shells from
trailing boiling ichor from a terrible Unable to stop himself, the Primarch his magazine, aiming for Amalrich’s
wound in his chest. Guilliman’s eyes bellowed a war cry and leapt to meet black blade. A single bolt struck the
widened as he saw Amalrich’s black Skarbrand’s charge. The Emperor’s weapon and blew the black sword
blade, driven into the Bloodthirster’s blade met Slaughter with a dolorous apart in a storm of deadly shards.
breast. It was the only remaining sign clang, while Carnage whistled over Skarbrand’s torso was shredded,
of the Emperor’s Champion, bloody the Primarch’s head by a hair’s and he toppled backwards off the
atonement for his failings on Cadia. breadth. Guilliman drove his platform with a final, furious roar.
shoulder guard into his opponent’s
Skarbrand landed with a tremendous midriff, then span on his heel and Immediately, Guilliman turned and
crash, hooves striking sparks as he backfisted Skarbrand with the Hand sprinted across the bridge, hurling
slammed down on the bridge amidst of Dominion. The blow would have himself into the webway after Sicarius
the Legion of the Damned. His axes, punched straight through a tank hull, and the Living Saint. Behind him, the
Slaughter and Carnage, swept left and yet the Bloodthirster merely rocked portal’s warding runes sealed with a
right. Fire-wreathed spectres were back on his heels before launching sharp crack, denying the surging tide
smashed aside, their broken bodies himself forward again. Hellforged of Daemons at the very last second.

70



THE HUNTER’S LABYRINTH

Space Marines, Grey Knights and the parties of Skyweaver Jetbikes. Those champion, Ahriman, to aid him with
warriors of the Adeptus Mechanicus scouts were now reporting back, his stolen knowledge of the webway’s
stood amidst the shimmering mists of warning of heavily armed intruders paths, but otherwise the Primarch’s
the webway. They were gathered in a wearing ornate armour of blue and conclusions were entirely correct.
vague space, its dimensions vast and gold. The warriors had the stench
confusing. Lights glimmered around of Chaos sorcery on them, and the Swiftly and earnestly, Guilliman
them, and a distant booming rolled unmistakable mark of Tzeentch. sought the counsel of his closest
through the air, akin to a titanic lieutenants. They had to determine
heartbeat, or the sound of waves Guilliman’s mind raced, weaving what Magnus planned, and quickly,
washing upon a rocky shore. fragments of fact and glimpses before they stepped straight into
of information with his peerless the Daemon Primarch’s trap. It
Of the warriors who had escaped strategist’s intuition. It was was Voldus who – drawing upon his
their cells, around two thirds Magnus, realised the Primarch. His knowledge of Titan’s ancient libraries
remained alive. Voldus and his Grey manipulative brother – who must – made the intuitive leap. There was a
Knights had taken only a handful have somehow known precisely how warded entrance to the webway within
of casualties, and the same was true matters would play out for Guilliman the Emperor’s palace. Voldus believed
of the Harlequins. Cypher, too, had – had sent his cursed sons to intercept it to be heavily defended, bound shut
survived the desperate running battle the Imperials. with the most potent abjurations that
through the fortress, and stood now at the Imperium could muster, but still it
the head of a band of dark-armoured Events began to fall into place in existed. Perhaps Magnus knew of that
Space Marines who had clearly Guilliman’s mind. Magnus had gate, and sought to follow them to it?
awaited his return. As Guilliman’s hurled Guilliman’s crusade into the
warriors regrouped, Sylandri Maelstrom not to destroy it, but to Guilliman’s strategic mind leapt
Veilwalker came before the Primarch. weaken it. He had propelled the Lord ahead again, tracing patterns within
She paused for a moment to share a of Ultramar onto a particular path of patterns and perceiving the truth.
long and loaded look with Archmagos fate that Magnus had either hoped or Magnus already knew where the
Cawl before turning to Guilliman known would lead him to his capture, gate lay, he realised. There had been
without a word of explanation. incarceration within that very specific whispers that the Crimson King had
gaol, and eventual escape into this passed that way before, and in so
She counselled that they could not section of the webway. Guilliman doing unleashed the catastrophe that
tarry for long. She had laced this could not know that the Crimson fell upon him and his Legion.
region of the webway with scout King had called upon his greatest
Magnus did not need them to lead
him to the gate. He sought instead to
follow them through it, clearly hoping
that the gate’s defences would be
deactivated to allow for Guilliman’s
arrival. The Daemon Primarch
wanted to strike at Terra, at the very

72

Golden Throne of the Emperor of The webway changed and shifted shrieking Tzaangors moved amongst
Mankind, and he hoped to launch around them, from misty passages to them, brandishing silvered blades.
his attack as the gate was thrown dark and echoing tunnels, brightly
open to permit the Ultramarines lit expanses of polyhedral crystal Guilliman’s warriors fired back,
Primarch passage. to weirdly fleshy spirals that pulsed sending many of their ambushers
with peristaltic motion. The loyalists reeling as their armour was rent
The crusade could not emerge surely would have been lost within and the dust that animated it spilled
at Terra, Guilliman realised with minutes, had they travelled alone, onto the ground. Cypher span and
something like despair, not if it or else set upon by the predatory dove through the mayhem, evading
meant allowing Magnus to strike at entities that haunted the Labyrinth every shot fired his way and reaping
the cradle of Humanity. Yet Sylandri Dimension. Yet with the Harlequins a tally of the foe with his blazing
Veilwalker had never intended for as both guides and escorts, the pistols. Voldus, too, wrought havoc
them to take that road. Instead, the Imperial forces were able to proceed as he led a counter-attack against
Shadowseer revealed a secret that the unchallenged. the Thousand Sons. His hammer
Eldar had long guarded. swung in lightning fast arcs, battering
‘IT WAS A TALE THROUGH WHICH THE Rubricae to the ground amid clouds
Lying dormant for millennia, WEBWAY WOUND, LIKE SERPENTS ALL of glittering dust.
hidden behind a veil of wards that ENTWINED. BY CHANCE OR NECESSITY,
even Humanity’s greatest psykers Still more Rubricae closed in, their
could not pierce, a lonely spar of THE HUMANS THOUGHT, IF THEY sorcerous masters upon their flying
the webway stretched out upon the THOUGHT OF IT AT ALL. WE WHO SERVE discs hurling their spells into the
border between realspace and the THE LAUGHING GOD KNOW BETTER...’ loyalist ranks. Guilliman realised that
Warp to connect to Luna, Terra’s to stay here was to fight an impossible
only natural moon. It was to that - Shadowseer Sylandri Veilwalker battle, and to be lost with his goal in
illusion-veiled gate that the Crusade sight. It infuriated the Primarch to
must now make haste. All that changed when frantic run yet again, for it seemed to him
reports reached Sylandri Veilwalker that, since leaving Ultramar, he had
With their path chosen, the survivors of familiars that had espied the done little else. Yet the greater goal
of the Terran Crusade set out at loyalists and eluded the pursuing was of more importance, and he knew
once. Already they had crossed great Jetbikes. At the Shadowseer’s urging, that he would not aid his father’s
gulfs of space, and fought their way the punishing pace increased still Imperium by dying here.
through hellish environs, yet they further, until the slowest Servitors
began this new and arduous leg of were abandoned altogether. Blade raised high, Guilliman led
their journey without complaint. All As Guilliman and his warriors the movement to break out of the
who had set forth from Ultramar thundered across a hazy, crystal- Thousand Sons ambush. Not all of
had been prepared to give their lives studded cavern, sudden volleys of his battle-brothers could extract
for this cause, and to endure any firepower scythed into them from themselves from the fight safely,
hardship they must in order to see the flanks. and more precious lives were lost
the reborn Roboute Guilliman safely – along with the gene-seed within
to Terra. Nothing had changed. Fifteen warriors fell to that first them – as Space Marines were cut
volley, punched off their feet by bolt down by the enemy’s fire. Yet with the
Travelling fast, the Harlequins of shells wreathed in coruscating flame. winged Saint cutting a path at their
the Veiled Path lead the way. They Rhinos exploded amidst leaping head, the loyalists broke away from
progressed now through territory blasts of sorcery, while Skitarii their attackers and fled deeper into
that was theirs alone, moving with degenerated into howling mutant the webway.
ever greater speed and confidence flesh as the fires of change washed
as a result. Bands of Harlequins split over them. They found themselves beset at
away into half-glimpsed side passages, every turn, Rubricae and braying
or slipped through hollow archways Guilliman barked his orders and Tzaangors bursting from side
graven from stone. Others returned the loyalists fanned out as one, passages or holding junctions
in similar fashion, filtering in before dropping into firing crouches amidst against them. Still the loyalists
or behind the massed Imperial tanks the crystal outcroppings. From pressed on, smashing headlong
and foot troops. Harlequin Jetbikes all around, swimming into focus through every ambush and blockade
sped overhead from time to time, through the veiling mists, came the with Guilliman, Voldus, Greyfax,
hurtling down the wider passageways plodding automata of Thousand Sons Celestine and Cypher at their head.
in polychromatic blurs. All the while, Rubricae. The armoured golems At last, the Imperials reached a
Guilliman and his followers kept up played their bolters right and left as rune-sealed portal, fixing helms
a relentless pace, their tanks moving they advanced, laying down a steady and rebreather cowls in place. Then,
in the vanguard while loping infantry hail of ensorcelled bolts. Hordes of led by the Shadowseer, they stepped
and stalking Dunecrawlers brought from the webway and onto the
up the rear. surface of Luna.

73

AMIDST THE SEA OF STORMS

Guilliman stepped through the foes following close on their heels, the Behind them, Veilwalker and her
shimmering lights of the webway gate, loyalists climbed quickly up the pit’s Harlequins lingered by the webway
enduring the unsettling doubling of sides. Space Marines sprang upwards gate. The Shadowseer gathered her
reality that it created. He passed from hand over fist in the low gravity. powers, levelling her staff towards
soft illumination into harsh black the webway portal and beginning a
shadow and searing glare, from air Tanks threw up drifting fans of moon whispering chant. The runes upon
and gentle warmth into the frozen, dust as they powered up the rocky the structure’s flanks glowed fiercely
airless lethality of near-vacuum. slope. Skitarii marched relentlessly with a searing light.
Gravity bled away around him, and upward, ignoring their blackening
with a single step, Guilliman launched and freezing organic components. Before Veilwalker could finish her
himself away from the webway gate These latter soldiers would not last ritual, the gate pulsed with dark
into the billowing moon dust beyond. long on the Luna surface, but they energies. Blue fire billowed, its roar
would endure long enough to serve sounding as a dull rumble in the
The crusade had emerged into a deep the Omnissiah’s needs. airless conditions. Veilwalker span
crater, much of which was immersed clear at the last moment, but many of
in inky blackness. Shafts of stark Above them, Celestine soared upward her followers were not so fortunate.
illumination fell from above, where into the dark skies – her Geminae Their lithe bodies were engulfed
the rays of Sol itself spilled over the Superia had donned their helms, but the in flame and, as their dathedi suits
lip of the deep pit. Conscious of the Living Saint had no need of such apparel. burned away, so their bodies melted
like wax or froze and died.

From near the lip of the crater,
Guilliman looked back to see the
corrupted webway gate glowing with
dark fire. Streamers of energy leapt
and coiled, dancing across the walls of
the pit and blasting the Eldar corpses
to ash. Out from that crackling storm
stepped the first Rubric Marines,
their footfalls muffled as they
advanced across the crater floor. They
raised their boltguns and opened fire,
cursed shells roaring up from below
to slam into the Imperials.

Armour ruptured and souls burned.
Bulky bodies in the colours of the
Novamarines and Mortifactors
tumbled in slow motion down
the slopes, clouds of chalky
dust cascading around them. A
Dreadknight toppled backwards, its
pilot slain. The remaining loyalists
kept moving, over the lip of the crater
and out of the Thousand Sons’ line
of fire.

Here, the retreat stopped at last.
Guilliman and his surviving followers
stood upon the surface of Luna
itself, near the heart of the Mare
Tempestus. On every side loomed
the rusted hulks of old and broken
Imperial ships, a graveyard of junked
and decommissioned craft left there
to moulder. Overhead, the blackness
of space was speckled with stars while
closer to hand, huge orbital docks
and defence platforms filled the sky.
Gothic leviathans swarming with void
craft and covered in glaring lights,

the grandeur of the Luna docks still Space Marines, Skitarii, **We scribe a tale of
faded against the breathtaking sight Dreadnoughts, Land Raiders, bloodshed and woe, my
of Terra itself, hanging stark against Vindicators, Dunecrawlers, Battle mentor. A tragedy is
the blackness above. There was the Servitors and more opened fire. wrought.**
destination that Guilliman sought, Using the lip of the crater for cover,
the end of his journey at last. and making the most of the higher **What has befallen, Lladrea?
ground, the loyalists sent volley What of the Ynnari?**
Yet a deadly foe still chased at the after volley ripping down into the
Primarch’s heels, and could not be Heretic Astartes. Striding automata **The priestess and her
allowed to work his malefic will within were knocked back into the crater by warriors may yet bring
sight of the throneworld. Guilliman devastating explosions. Glittering dust us victory. A thousand
knew that the Warp phenomena drifted from rents in ornate armour, grav-craft are still in
currently erupting in the crater’s floating free in the low gravity and the field. Were it only
depths must surely have triggered leaving once-animate armour suits to the spawn of the sea of
every alarm and emergency augur crumple and collapse. sorrows that we fought,
within a dozen terra-sols. victory would be ours.**
Sergeants barked orders through the
It would not be long before vox, coordinating volleys of lascannon **Another power intercedes,
overwhelming Imperial forces raced blasts and demolisher shells to rain then? The skein is tangled?**
to investigate, but there was no telling down upon the Rubricae. Cypher
what irrevocable havoc Magnus could and his shadowy companions rained **The black pylons are
cause before they arrived. Guilliman fire down upon the Thousand not all that languishes
saw again the visions Kairos had sent Sons. Greyfax slammed silver stakes upon Thenicali. The
him, of a shattered world crashing through one Rubricae after another. ghosts of the Necrontyr
down upon a fire-blackened Terra, Voldus tore traitors apart with the rise.**
and shuddered. He and his followers powers of his mind.
must hold the enemy here, driving the **Such arrogance! Is their
Thousand Sons back, or – at the least Armoured corpses piled in heaps at bitterness so great?**
– keeping them suppressed until aid the bottom of the crater, surrounding
could arrive. the webway gate with carrion remains. **It was our hatred that
From cracks and rocky outcroppings fanned these flames. We
‘THE HISTORY OF THE GALAXY IS A around the crater’s edge, the last of landed in the valley of
TAPESTRY WOVEN FROM TERROR AND the Harlequins added their own fire statues and swept the
BLOOD. YET AMONGST THE COUNTLESS to the fusillade, hails of monofilament Daemons aside. We fought
THREADS OF DARKNESS, THERE GLEAM discs cutting through power armour in the shadows of the
THIN STRANDS OF LIGHT, MOMENTS OF and the flesh of daemonic discs. pylons, with the Ynnari
SELFLESS HEROISM AND BRAVERY THAT at our head. The foe
For a time, it appeared as though the could not prevail…**
SHINE OUT ALL THE BRIGHTER FOR Thousand Sons would be bottled up
THE SHADOW THAT SURROUNDS in the crater. Though their return **What, then, occurred?
fire caused slow attrition amongst the Where did we misstep?**
THEM. THROUGH SUCH DESPERATE loyalists, the traitors were losing far
DEEDS IS THE FUTURE WROUGHT. more warriors than they slew. **The chasms lit with
THROUGH SUCH DESPERATE DEEDS green fire. Perhaps the
Then a fresh pulse of dark power old foe sought common
DOES HOPE ENDURE.’ surged through the webway gate, its cause with us? They fired
energies whirling faster and faster until only upon the Daemons,
- Eldrad Ulthran, High Farseer of Ulthwe they formed a flaming vortex. A wave until we fired upon them.
of supernatural dread swept over the Had we but offered a
The Thousand Sons were spilling loyalist Space Marines as a huge, horn- chance to stand at our
from the webway gate in increasing headed figure stepped through onto side, as Yvraine urged…
numbers, Scarab Occult and Rubricae the surface of Luna. Spreading his Autarch Kaerathael
driven forward by Sorcerers on their wings wide, Magnus the Red looked up directed the Engines of
flying discs. Their advance was steady at Guilliman with an evil smile. Vaul to fire upon the
but unstoppable, pushing up the Necron engines rising
crater walls with their guns blazing. from the chasm. We are
Recognising that the crater itself beset, now, upon two
offered the best chance of containing sides. The bodies pile
the foe, Guilliman spread his warriors, higher. The ground cracks
walkers and tanks around its lip and and heaves, and the
commanded them to pour fire down pylons sing their last
into the advancing Thousand Sons. lament.**

**Remain strong, Lladrea.
We draw close, my friend,
with Asurmen himself at our
side. Endure, and we shall
prevail.**

**I fear otherwise,
Cthelain. But we shall
fight. Until the very
end, we shall fight…**

75

GODS OF WAR

Drawing himself up to his full Sons from harm. Suddenly, the back from the crater’s lip, blood and
height, Magnus the Red raised his Rubricae and Scarab Occult could shattered bone spraying.
ensorcelled glaive and spoke dolorous advance unharmed, striding upwards
words of power that rang out in as their foes’ shots exploded upon Seeing the sudden shift in the
defiance of all natural law. Purple Magnus’ shields. The Thousand Sons situation, and knowing that they must
flames leapt, forming shimmering suffered no such obstruction, and hold out no matter the cost, Guilliman
shields and warding the Thousand dozens of loyalists were sent tumbling ordered his surviving warriors back.
Moments later, the first ranks of
Rubricae crested the lip of the crater
and strode out with their gun muzzles
flaring. More Thousand Sons marched
behind them, and the surviving
loyalists fell back to spaceship wrecks
and rocky craters to gain cover while
their tanks backed steadily away with
their guns thundering.

Magnus rose from the crater. With a
word, the Daemon Primarch unmade
a trio of Dreadknights, burning
out their wards and crushing their
armour. With a gesture, he plucked
an Ultramarines Land Raider from
the ground and slammed it through
ranks of Skitarii like a cannonball.
Magnus brandished his staff and
reality rent apart, a tide of cackling
Daemons boiling from the Warp to
join the battle.

Recognising that the Daemon
Primarch would swiftly destroy his
army if allowed free reign, Guilliman
broke into a headlong charge.
Giving vent to a booming war cry,
the Primarch of the Ultramarines
smashed a path through the Rubricae
before him and launched himself into
a heroic leap from the lip of the crater.

Guilliman soared, burning blade
leaving a trail of flame behind him.
Magnus saw his brother coming and
began an incantation of pain, but
before he could finish it the Lord of
Ultramar struck. Magnus managed
to parry his brother’s arcing blade
with his glaive, but the battering ram
impact of Guilliman’s leap carried
the Crimson King backward, away
from the fight. The two Primarchs
tumbled across the Luna surface, dust
billowing around them, and smashed
into the rusted wreck of an Imperial
frigate. Slabs of metal and corroded
ironwork crashed down around them,
burying the fighting brothers in an
avalanche of wreckage. Meanwhile,
the battle around the crater raged
on, the last remnants of the Terran
Crusade fighting furiously to survive.

G uilliman fought his way to not reach our father’s throne room today, With sudden violence, Magnus jabbed
freedom, hurling aside a slab but I promise that you won’t either. You downward with his glaive. Multicoloured
of rusted metal and ignoring will be dead long before help arrives. That flames exploded from its blade, engulfing
the alarms ringing within his helm. His alone will be worth all this trouble.’ Guilliman and the bedrock upon which
armour was compromised, its air supply he stood. Moon dust exploded upwards in
venting and the cold of the void leaking With that, Magnus attacked. The giant crackling clouds. Corposant danced across
in. Were it not for his god-like constitution, moved far faster than Guilliman could scrap iron, and Roboute cried out as agony
and Cawl’s life-sustaining technology, have believed, his ensorcelled glaive lashing wracked his body.
Guilliman would likely have been dead. out to split the Lord of Ultramar in two.
Crackling with raw power, Magnus
Instead, he raised his blade and kicked his Guilliman leapt backward, pulling his descended, still pouring Warp fire into
way clear of the scattered wreckage. midriff in as he did so. Magnus’ weapon his brother. Guilliman screamed again,
drew sparks from his armour as it whistled dropping to one knee as his armour blazed
‘Magnus,’ he shouted through his vox past, and Guilliman landed atop the with searing energy. Sparks burst from
grill, searching around him. The Primarch crumpled prow of a nearby frigate. overloaded systems, and the smell of his
knew his dubiously gifted brother could own, cooking flesh filled his nostrils.
hear his words, even in the void of space. Before he could take stock, Magnus
‘I know better than to think you dead. was hurling balls of blue flame at him. Desperate, Guilliman drove himself
Face me!’ Guilliman threw himself out of their path, backwards in a graceless leap. He flew in
sliding down the prow’s rusted flank and an arc to smash down amidst a tumbled
Deep laughter rolled around Guilliman, dropping into a crouch at its feet. He broke heap of enginarium debris, armour still
a sound redolent with ancient evil. As he into a charge, bursting from the drifting flickering with flames.
watched, Magnus’ ethereal form rose from cloud of dust raised by his landing and
the wreckage and drifted down to loom weaving skilfully around his brother’s Magnus landed, chuckling cruelly.
over him. The Daemon Primarch solidified sorcerous projectiles. Sprawled amidst the tangle of wreckage,
once more, huge and menacing. Guilliman tried to push himself to his feet.
The ammunition in the Hand of Dominion The Primarch’s body was a mass of pain,
‘Very well, Roboute,’ laughed Magnus, was spent, but it was still a phenomenally and his armour responded sluggishly, a
and his words conjured crystalline showers powerful weapon. Sidestepping a number of its servomotors burned out.
that rained down upon the pale ground. downward cut from Magnus’ glaive,
‘Here I am, in the flesh. And – somehow Guilliman slid inside his brother’s guard ‘No, brother,’ said Magnus. ‘You stay
– there you are.’ Magnus cocked his head and delivered a thunderous uppercut. The where you are.’
to one side and smirked. ‘I don’t remember impact lifted Magnus from his feet and
you seeming so… insignificant.’ sent him tumbling upward into the inky The Daemon Primarch gestured, and
blackness. Fiery blood drifted in strings spectral claws tore several hundred tons
‘Ten millennia have made you no less from Magnus’ shattered jaw, causing of machinery loose from a nearby wreck.
arrogant, then?’ asked Guilliman, warily kaleidoscopic fungi to sprout from where it Guilliman had time to brace himself
circling his towering foe. Inside his helm, spattered on Luna’s surface. before the ungainly mass impacted like a
a look of disgust twisted his patrician comet, burying him completely beneath an
features as he regarded the monstrous form Roiling energy wrapped around Magnus, avalanche of crushing metal.
of the Crimson King. ‘Certainly those years arresting his motion and righting him as
have done you no other kindness.’ he howled in anger. The Daemon Primarch Guilliman was entombed. Alarms chimed
stared hatefully down with his single eye, in his ears, red warning signs flashing in
Magnus sighed. ‘How you can have such and Guilliman knew fresh sorrow as he his peripheral vision. The pain of lacerated
grand plans and yet such scant vision realised how truly mad and lost his sibling organs and shattered bones dragged at him,
has always eluded me. This,’ the Daemon had become. and for a moment the Lord of Ultramar
Primarch said, empyric energies stirring as was tempted simply to give in. Then
they gathered around his levelled glaive, ‘is ‘Arrogance,’ shouted Guilliman. ‘It was he thought again of his long-suffering
what true power looks like.’ always your undoing, brother. You thought sons, fighting so hard for the ideals of an
this would be an easy fight, that the gifts Imperium they had never even known. He
‘I see no power here,’ said Guilliman, of your so-called gods would render me would not betray them. He would not let
shaking his head in dismay. ‘I see impotent. Perhaps those you serve are not one of his degenerate brothers keep him from
corruption, and enslavement to monsters all you believed them to be?’ his responsibilities – not again.
that are worshipped as gods.’
Magnus’ rage vanished in an eye-blink, Muscles tensing, strength surging,
‘On that, Roboute,’ Magnus laughed, and he laughed scornfully in response to Guilliman ripped his way up through the
sparing a glance at the loyalists fighting Guilliman’s jibe. tumbled mountain of wreckage. He roared
nearby, ‘perhaps we can finally agree.’ as he hurled aside a capacitor unit the size
‘You would like to believe that, wouldn’t of a Land Raider, and stepped, bloodied
The cyclopean sorcerer’s smile turned into you? That the dutiful Roboute Guilliman but unbroken, into the hard light of Luna.
a sneer when he noticed his brother glance was justified in his loyalty? That, now the Magnus arched an eyebrow at the sight,
to the skies above. ‘Hoping to keep my sons ramifications of our choices have become and braced his glaive to hurl another spell.
and I occupied until the remnants of this clear, you can look down on me as you
palsied Imperium come to save you? I may always did?’ It was then that the void lit with fire.

77





THE EMPEROR’S WRATH

Grand Master Voldus looked up Knights and Dreadknights in a valiant Amongst these craft flew a trio of
and gave thanks as the Emperor’s charge. His hammer smashed apart Valkyries with hulls of crimson and
deliverance rained down upon ceramite wherever it connected, and black, the sigil of the Adeptus Astra
the battlefield. The crusade forces psychic lightning danced about him Telepathica emblazoned upon their
had broken into small islands of despite the Sorcerers’ best efforts to flanks. Arcing through the explosions
resistance, some hunkered down banish it. Katarinya Greyfax fought and mayhem above the battlefield, the
amidst spacecraft wreckage, others alongside him, her iron will bringing gunships made for the point some way
crouching behind jutting Luna Tzeentchian conjurers to their knees distant where Guilliman still battled
rocks. The Thousand Sons had before she struck off their heads with his monstrous brother.
surrounded them, relentlessly her masterwork blade.
pouring fire into the loyalist positions Purple fire speared upwards, ripping
while Tzeentchian Daemons hurtled Seizing the moment, Saint Celestine the wing from the leading craft and
overhead on golden discs to rain swept through the enemy ranks, the sending it rolling to a halt in a blazing
Warpflame upon them. Ardent Blade slashing left and right fireball. The other two swept on
as her Geminae Superia raked the towards their quarry, and as they came
Now, though, help had arrived. Gilt- Daemons with bolt fire. Captain in low, their side doors slid open.
chased fighter craft screamed down Sicarius followed in her wake, rallying
over the Luna landscape. As they did Ultramarines and Primogenitors While their brave pilots blitzed fire
so, rippling lines of fire exploded behind him as they cut a path towards at Magnus the Red, two squads of
amidst Rubricae and Horrors alike. the Adeptus Custodes. helmed Sisters of Silence dropped
Las blasts and hails of explosive shells from the gunships. They landed
tore the Tzeentchian footsoldiers The muffled boom of engines near Guilliman in fighting crouches.
apart. Bombs fell amongst them, sounded overhead, heralding the Angrily, Magnus swept his clawed
sundering armour and flesh. arrival of further Imperial forces. hand through the air, dragging one
Stark yellow Drop Pods slammed gunship sideways with telekine power
At the same time, vast leviathans of down, thrusters flaring. Their hatches and smashing it into the other. Both
adamantium and plasteel rumbled opened and squads of Imperial Valkyries exploded and tumbled
in overhead. Naval system monitors Fists Space Marines emerged from downwards, but the Sisters of Silence
of the Terran Defence Fleet hove within, bolters blazing at the enemy. leapt nimbly aside. Magnus glowered,
into low orbit, their enormous forms Gunships rumbled overhead, yellow- jabbing with his glaive and sending
swamping the battlefield in shadow hulled Stormravens and Stormtalons tendrils of green and yellow flame
as they came. Aided by triangulatory whose weapons tore through the spiralling in their direction. The
targeting data transmitted by Thousand Sons. Several were swatted sorcery sputtered and died before it
Archmagos Cawl, the ships rained by bolts of sorcery and hails of reached them, undone by the empyric
pinpoint-accurate fire upon the foe. rotary cannon fire, flames belching dead zone around the warrior nulls.
from ruptured hulls as they span
Luna dust whirled in sudden vortices down to crash amidst the wreckage Seeing a strategic advantage at last,
as teleport energies snatched it up. of starships. Guilliman leapt down from the
Bright light flared, and the golden mound of wreckage and landed
giants of the Adeptus Custodes 80 amidst the Sisters of Silence. They
stepped from it with their guardian would shield him from his brother’s
spears levelled. Hails of bolt fire fell powers. Together, the Primarch
ripped into the Rubricae. Cursing, and the sisters charged towards
the Sorcerers ordered their golem Magnus with their blades at the ready.
warriors to turn and address these
new foes, but to no avail. Moving The Daemon Primarch hurled
with breathtaking speed and skill, another volley of psychic destruction,
the Custodians hacked their way into growling in frustration as it flickered
the Heretic Astartes. Each fought like out like the first. Angrily, Magnus
a hero born, their blades splitting hefted his glaive and swooped forward
power armour like firewood and to meet his enemies at close quarters.
sending empty helms spinning lazily If he could not destroy them with the
away across the Luna surface. powers of the Warp, he would hack
and crush their mortal bodies until
Rallying as aid appeared, the last nothing remained but meat.
enclaves of those warriors who set
out from Macragge fought back Beneath the dark Luna sky, with Terra
with renewed fury. Voldus stepped hanging, ancient and hallowed above
out from the wreckage of a bulk them, the two Primarchs crashed
carrier, leading his remaining Grey together once again.

V eilwalker bounded into the air. She drove one foot that Magnus could be destroyed only by casting his body into
into the side of a Rubricae’s helm, ripping it free the corrupted webway gate. If Veilwalker’s visions were correct,
with the force of her kick. The Shadowseer pushed Guilliman would believe him.

off from her first victim, spinning through the thin air to hurl Meanwhile, she had to prepare the gateway, which was currently
guarded by a pair of Sorcerers. Ghosting closer through the
a bewildering glamour into the face of a nearby Sorcerer. The bodies with illusions flickering about her, Veilwalker drew her
shuriken pistol. A gentle squeeze of its trigger, a flick of her wrist,
Tzeentch worshipper howled in panic, clawing at his helm and and several more gentle depressions; first one Sorcerer and then
the other staggered as rounds struck them, perfectly placed to
ripping it free. His flesh froze in seconds, his eyes bursting as puncture their gorget seals and open their jugular arteries.

bloody puffs and gore squirting from his nose, mouth and ears. The two Sorcerers crumpled, and Veilwalker hurriedly began
her incantations. The energies around the gateway pulsed and
The Shadowseer trilled a mocking laugh as she landed, spinning shuddered, the runes on its sides glowing brighter as a keening
vibration shook the dark pit.
her stave low to sweep the legs from two more Rubricae, before
At that moment, battling demigods appeared upon the crater’s
sketching an elaborate bow to their fellows. edge. Guilliman and Magnus, both bleeding from the wounds
they had dealt one another, still flanked by a last handful of the
Amidst a hail of ensorcelled bolts, Veilwalker sprang away, as her null warriors. Magnus bisected another of the women with a
kin cartwheeled into the enemy’s midst from another direction. brutal swing of his glaive, which lashed around to hack a chunk
In such low gravity conditions, the Harlequins could achieve from Guilliman’s breastplate.
feats of agility and grace beyond even their normal blinding skill,
and Veilwalker laughed again as she saw the Rubricae rendered In return, the Lord of Ultramar drove Magnus back with
clumsy by comparison. hammer blows from the Emperor’s blade, then slammed his
shoulder into his brother’s chest and sent the Crimson King
Bounding in a high pirouette over the battle, Veilwalker sought he crashing down the steep slope.
who wore the Armour of Fate. There he was, amidst the wrecks of
crude human spacecraft, battling his monstrous brother alongside Guilliman leapt after him, not giving Magnus a chance to
a band of warriors. Even from here, the mere presence of the nulls recover. The Primarch’s onslaught was punishing, the wounded
made Sylandri shudder. Guilliman visibly pouring everything he had into this last storm
of blows. Veilwalker melted away into the shadows as the warring
Guilliman and Magnus were trading hate-filled blows, their brothers neared the webway gate, still muttering her incantations
weapons crashing together with titanic force. The nulls were and weaving her staff back and forth.
doing what they could to aid the fight, stabbing blades at the
Daemon in their midst or pouring bolter fire into him. Already, Magnus conjured a deadly sphere of Warp energies and hurled it
several lay as broken corpses for their troubles, but the rest were at his brother with all his might. Guilliman’s iron halo absorbed
doing an effective job of deadening Magnus’ sorcerous powers. the worst of the blast, but still he was sent staggering back. With
his back to the gate, the Primarch of the Thousand Sons conjured
Sylandri landed gracefully, ignoring a storm of magical flames a wave of telekinetic fury and used it to fling a mass of Space
that exploded away to her left. Daemons, befuddled by her Marine corpses – loyalist and traitor – at the last few nulls. They
domino field, cast their spells at where they believed her to be. vanished from Sylandri’s sight, their contra-empyric drag blinking
With a thought, Sylandri activated the communications inlay out as they were buried beneath a macabre heap of the dead.
in her helm, communing with her Death Jester, the Hollow Prince.
The Shadowseer started forward, fearing for the fate of the Final
‘The moment has arrived,’ she said. ‘Our drama has played out, Act. Then, with a roar of hate and rage, Guilliman struck. The
and the brothers’ enmity burns anew.’ Lord of Ultramar lunged at his brother. The burning blade drove
in, under the Daemon Primarch’s guard, and sank deep into
‘Now the final curtain, then?’ whispered the voice of the Hollow his chest. Golden flames leapt, and Magnus howled in agony as
Prince, rich with wicked mirth. ‘Indignation. Outrage. Vendetta.’ they chewed hungrily at his flesh. He unleashed his powers in an
uncontrolled sorcerous blast, its shock wave racing out across the
‘It must be thus,’ agreed Veilwalker. ‘I shall ready the gate, for crater and throwing Sylandri from her feet.
truth this time. You deliver your lines, and let matters play out.’
The burst of power hurled Guilliman onto his back, blade in
Without waiting for an answer, Veilwalker cut her hand, and sent Magnus staggering free, back through the
communications. She sprinted for the crater from which they had pulsating webway gate. Sylandri had one chance, a single
all emerged. She wove and sprang, dodged and tumbled through moment in which to alter fate. With a final word, she shattered
the raging battle, finally throwing herself into a feet-first slide the runestone that glowed hot in her palm, and severed the
over the crater’s lip. Veilwalker arced gracefully down, moon dust webway gate forever. Power surged, Magnus roared his fury,
falling about her like snow, and landed in a crouch amid the and then was cut off from Luna, his warriors and his brother,
mounds of armoured corpses. Across the crater floor, the darkness banished to the depths of the Labyrinth Dimension.
was lit by the whirling storm of purple light that spat from the
corrupted webway gate. Magnus had done that, cursing the
portal to permit his unnatural passage. Veilwalker smirked coldly
behind her mask; he would pay for that hubris.

Across the field of battle, she knew that the Hollow Prince would
be communicating with Guilliman, explaining their plan to
the Primarch. The Death Jester would be telling the Primarch

81





DUST TO DUST

Guilliman staggered to his feet, incoming traitors, and the Imperial The Imperial forces closed upon the
limping and wounded underneath his forces harassing their flanks. Though traitors like a clenching fist. The
smouldering and blackened armour. badly mauled, the Thousand Sons muffled thunder of gunfire carried
The webway gate rose before him, and still had numbers, and had broken across the Mare Tempestus as a
no trace of his brother remained. Had through the last, faltering ranks of devastating storm of shots engulfed
Magnus been destroyed? Guilliman Cawl’s Skitarii. the Thousand Sons. At the same time,
hoped so, but he did not believe it. Voldus, Cypher, Greyfax, Cawl and
The Harlequins’ sudden plan for Guilliman strode up the crater Celestine charged into the enemy’s
victory had been too convenient, the wall to meet them, and as he did midst with their guns blazing and
disappearance of Magnus too abrupt. so the mountain of corpses behind warriors at their backs.
The Primarch cast about for Sylandri him stirred and shifted. Heaving
Veilwalker, but found that she too themselves to freedom, three Thunder hammers swung, connecting
had disappeared. A swiftly voxed tenacious Sisters of Silence escaped with tectonic force. Power swords
question to his warriors revealed that their gruesome cairn and hasted to slid through armour like knives
the remainder of the Veiled Path had stand at Guilliman’s side. through silk. Sorcery transformed
vanished with her, though none could noble warriors to crystal statues, or
say how. If it had all been a trick, ‘THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER WHEN collapsing heaps of mutated flesh.
Guilliman could not fathom its intent, YOUR ENEMY IS BEATEN. HE MUST BE Through the mayhem waded Roboute
but for now at least, Magnus was gone. CRUSHED UTTERLY, AND EVERY TRACE Guilliman, hacking and bludgeoning
OF HIS WORKS AND DEEDS EXPUNGED. his way towards the Sorcerers at
Listening to the voxed reports of his HIS SPIRIT, AND THAT OF HIS PEOPLE, the heart of the enemy formation.
lieutenants, Guilliman realised that Enough loyal blood had been shed.
the battle was as good as won. Even MUST BE BROKEN BEYOND REPAIR. Enough brave warriors had been
while fighting his brother, Guilliman ONLY WHEN YOUR ENEMY HAS BEEN slain, and more besides, to bring
had kept a portion of his mind upon Guilliman within striking distance of
the wider strategic picture. It took ERADICATED ALTOGETHER, AND the throneworld. The losses ended
him only moments to piece together BURNED FROM THE PAGES OF now, and Ultramarines Primarch
the battle’s events. would be the one to end them.
HISTORY, IS THE WAR AT ITS END.’
Bolstered by the sudden arrival of the The first Sorcerer he met was
Adeptus Custodes and the Imperial - Roboute Guilliman, the Codex Astartes backhanded from his disc, tumbling
Fists, the crusade had driven the away like a ragdoll. The next two fell
Thousand Sons back. Tzeentchian The remaining Thousand Sons were to lethal sword thrusts, their blood
automata lay scattered across this several hundred yards from the puffing out in slow clouds. Three
region of the Mare Tempestus, little crater’s edge, marching relentlessly in more turned their powers upon the
more than vacant suits of ornate Guilliman’s direction. They travelled Primarch, only to find hexes faltering
armour tangled amidst the wreckage. in a loosely circular formation, and hellfires flickering to nothing as
The Daemons that Magnus had the Rubricae facing outward in a the Sisters of Silence joined the fray.
summoned were gone also, banished ceramite ring and moving in eerily
along with their master. perfect lockstep. Loyalist forces One Sorcerer succeeded in driving
surrounded them, squads of infantry his sword through Guilliman’s
With orbital barrages and hurtling and scorched battle tanks pouring pauldron and drawing the Primarch’s
fighter craft annihilating any traitors fire into the retreating traitors. More blood. Another cracked one eye lens
who attempted to break for freedom, Rubricae fell by the moment, but with of his helm with a desperate thrust
the last of the Sorcerers had gathered their Sorcerers safe at the heart of of his stave. No other harm did
their Rubricae and their Scarab the formation, the Thousand Sons’ the Sorcerers cause to the Lord of
Occults, and were driving – steady momentum was hard to stop. Ultramar, who passed through them
and relentless – for the crater’s edge. like a storm of death and left all as
They had sensed the banishment of They would come no further, resolved drifting corpses.
their lord, but they did not know that Guilliman. Voxing orders to every
the webway gate had been severed. Imperial warrior, the Primarch At last the battle was done. The final
The last of the traitors were making instructed his followers to charge Rubricae, leaderless and without
a bid to escape, and Guilliman stood the Thousand Sons from every direction, were cut swiftly to pieces.
directly in their path. side, and all remaining vehicles to The whirling storm of moon dust
provide supporting fire, Guilliman settled as the battle’s fury abated.
Wearily, the Primarch squared his brandished his flaming blade and With his loyal warriors kneeling
shoulders and shrugged off his hurts. swept into battle. The last of the around him and his foes destroyed,
Walking with a limp, armour sparking Sisters of Silence ran at his side, their Guilliman allowed himself to lean for
and dented, Roboute Guilliman bolters thumping. a moment upon his blade, and to feel
made for the crater’s edge. His the pain of both body and soul.
auspex showed him the route of the

84

The powers of psykers and sorcerers
are snuffed like candle flames in
the presence of the Sisters of Silence.
Rendered mute by their vows, they
are nonetheless skilled warriors who
communicate with a complex system
of hand signals, and are master
marksmen and blade fighters.

In addition to their martial skills,
the Sisters of Silence are nulls.
Possessing a rare mutation known
as the Pariah gene, nulls exist in
the Warp only as black holes. They
are effectively soulless, and their
mere presence is enough to unsettle
and nauseate those around them.
Worse by far is the effect of nulls
upon psykers, who are sent into
paroxysms of agony and revulsion
whenever they draw too near.

Once, long ago, the Sisters of Silence
were the militant arm of the Adeptus
Astra Telepathica. Though officially
disbanded after the Age of Apostasy,
many enclaves still fight for the
Imperial cause, albeit in a more
secretive and specialist capacity
than before.

THRONEWORLD

After the battle of Luna, matters they could to facilitate it, and to the throneworld like an eagle over
moved swiftly. Fresh waves of craft fete the living Primarch’s return to its nest.
descended to scour away the traitor the throneworld.
corpses that littered the region. Far distant, further out towards the
Inquisitorial agents and teams of Guilliman approved the arrangements Sol System’s edge, could be seen
Magos Xenotechnologis swarmed that had been made for him. Though the angry red glint of Mars and its
the battlefield, the former seeing they would have fought on stubbornly attendant orbital platforms. Closer
to matters of containment and until their dying breaths if the to Terra, Guilliman was disquieted
secrecy while the latter fell upon situation had demanded it, Guilliman to see the drifting wrecks of warships
the deactivated webway gate like and his warriors were wearied by the both Imperial and traitor being
vultures. Guilliman ignored them all. constant hardships they had endured picked over by heavy Adeptus
He allowed the senior Apothecary since setting out from Macragge. Mechanicus dredgers and scavenger-
amongst the Imperial Fists to Thus, as the aquila craft swept up factorums. The war, it seemed, had
tend to his most immediate hurts, from Luna’s surface and away towards reached Humanity’s system of origin
and then insisted that he and his Terra, Guilliman and his comrades before them, and would surely only
companions be allowed to press settled back in flight thrones and become worse in the days to come.
on. None was foolish enough to simply watched the external picters.
gainsay a living Primarch – indeed, Many reflected upon the astronomical As they began their final descent,
few save the Custodes could stop losses the Terran Crusade had taken Terra swelled in the picters. It
staring in wonderment long enough to get the Primarch here, but none was a bloated giant, its natural
to communicate with him – and so could be altogether distracted from resources expended, oceans long
Guilliman’s demands were soon met. the breathtaking sights that slid past. boiled away and landmasses covered
entirely in never-ending cityscapes.
Down from on high came an As the ship rose up away from Luna, Lights beyond count burned all
enormous lander of remarkable the orbital docks and shipyards of across the planet’s surface, while
design. Glimmering gold in the harsh the moon spread out in all their macrostructures and super-statues
light of Sol, the craft resembled the industrial grandeur. Hundreds of pierced the throneworld’s pollution-
two-headed Imperial aquila writ large. ships, thousands of forges, weapons choked atmosphere. Spaceport
Gouts of flame leapt from its wings, platforms, grav habs and docking spires rose into the darkness amidst
slowing its descent, and it landed on spindles sprawled through the void swarming masses of cherub-satellites,
heavy, taloned struts just beyond the above the moon’s chalky white electro-sermon beacons, servitor
field of battle. More warriors of the surface, while swathes of the moon defence platforms and millions of
Adeptus Custodes strode down the itself were carpeted in macrohives and Administratum transport ships.
ship’s boarding ramp, joining with sprawling junk yards like the one the
their battle-scarred comrades and crusade had so recently fought amidst. Their craft swung down through the
lining the route on board. Guilliman organised bedlam, its route given
and his surviving warriors passed Further out, the void teemed with the highest priority clearance, and
between them with their heads craft and defences of every sort. descended into a haze of chem-smog
held high, Space Marines, Grey Dense minefields filled hundreds of and glaring, artificial light. Towering
Knights, and the once-leaders of the miles of space, every charge crafted structures of grey, gold and brass
Celestinian Crusade marching into to resemble a brushed steel skull. rose on every side, encrusted with
the capacious hold of the aquila craft. Vast battle stations and deep space grime-streaked gothic architecture
weapons platforms hung menacingly, and studded with cold electrical
Only once the ramp had whined shut each one a gun-studded cathedrum lights. Servo-skulls and cyber
behind them, and oxygen flowed back the size of a city. Immense spacecraft cherubs, gunships and bulk haulers,
into the chamber, did the Custodes of the Ministorum plied the darkness, transporters and prison barges, patrol
remove their helms and bow low to penitence arks and solar reliquaries ships of the Arbites and bell-skiffs of
Guilliman. As the craft shuddered dozens of miles long; within those the Ministorum, all whirled around
and lifted off, the Shield-Captain cold, dark halls, the faithful wailed the aquila craft in a storm. Downward
who led them introduced himself prayers and self-flagellated for the it flew, until the towering, gargoyle-
as Ty Adronitus, and explained that Emperor’s glory. System monitors topped spires that rose on every
Guilliman and his warriors would be prowled the heavens in vast numbers, side completely obscured the fading
borne to Terra with all haste. They swarming like stinging insects around darkness of space.
were to put down at the Eternity Wall their hive. All were eclipsed in size
spaceport, and from there would by the immense, mobile star fort Finally, Guilliman’s transport swung
travel as part of a triumphant parade that hung halfway between Terra in to dock on a dedicated platform
to the Emperor’s Palace. The High and Luna, engulfed in repair cradles set into the flanks of the Eternity Wall
Lords had anticipated the Primarch’s and servo-armatures. The Imperial spaceport. It put down upon a dais
desire to stand before the Golden Fists’ mobile base of operations, the of age-worn marble, surrounded on
Throne, explained Shield-Captain star fort Phalanx, had returned from all sides by verdigrised and heavily
Adronitus. They would do everything the Cadian System to watch over weaponised statues, from which hung

86



burning braziers of incense. Robed thousands of years before, and where their progeny one day aspired to
figures were gathered on every side once there had been industrious reach the front of.
to witness and honour the Primarch’s glory, now all was buried in grotesque
arrival. Servo-choirs sung out hymns layers of gothic over-construction, Guilliman and his warriors, still
to the Emperor while autoscribes industrial sprawl and macabre accompanied by their Custodes
scribbled with eagle-feather quills in religious ornamentation. guards, emerged from that impossibly
iron tomes borne by chained slaves. vast structure to find themselves in
Dignitaries of the Administratum The Primarch’s sense of dislocation a plaza packed out with droning,
and the Adeptus Terra flocked close, and sorrow only increased as he and shuffling, downtrodden crowds. On
mingling with bombastic priests of his followers were led through the every side rose mile-high stained glass
the Ministorum and nobles garbed masses, and descended in mag-lifts windows, each depicting a different
in outrageous finery. All bowed to to what passed for ground level. They Primarch. Guilliman saw Sanguinius,
Guilliman as he emerged from the passed through a cavernous space of wings spread atop a mountain of
transport, forming the sign of the gloomy Administratum offices, where mutant corpses. He saw the Khan,
aquila with their hands and vying to queues of petitioners stretched away riding upon a skull-faced comet that
cry out their devotion the loudest. into the hazy middle distance. Men sped between the stars. There was
and women, young and old, called brave Vulkan, grasping an impossibly
The Primarch did his best to smile, out their devotion and wept for joy huge hammer as he used a world
and to acknowledge the clamouring to see the Primarch pass, yet even for his anvil. And there, Guilliman
masses with dignity and respect. his presence could not draw them stared up at a distorted image of
His mind was a whirl – the last time from their places in queues that their himself, haloed in light with his
Guilliman had seen Terra was many ancestors had first joined, and that Codex Astartes in one hand and the

88

severed head of a horned Daemon passed through the dark heart of the They travelled beneath the titanic
in the other. He was depicted as a Emperor’s realm. The mountainous guns of orbital defence silos that
giant amongst worshipping crowds structures of the Imperial Palace dwarfed any weapon even Guilliman
of angelic figures, and for a moment loomed ever larger upon the horizon, had ever seen.
Fulgrim’s words to him at the parade a vast structure from which could be
on Macragge echoed in Guilliman’s seen the cloud-piercing light of the At last they passed into the palace
mind. All of Humanity would worship Astronomican itself. For two days, proper, by way of a dizzyingly tall
him as a living god. Guilliman must Guilliman and his followers travelled gate graven with warring angels and
never come to believe it himself. through endless crowds and places of Daemons. There they dismounted
grandeur and grim horror. their lumbering transports, and
Mounting up in ornate, super-heavy Guilliman was glad to proceed
transporters, Guilliman and his They passed beneath an arch-city on foot through the precincts of
companions were borne through hung with pain-frames, and beneath the inner palace. More gates and
endless streets and transitways, the gaze of a dozen statues of splendour flowed past, so much that it
boulevards and processionals. They Imperial Saints, each as large as an all blurred into an impossible assault
passed tribes of itinerant petitioners Imperator Titan. upon the senses. At last, feeling more
and clans of indigenous priests, exhausted by his homecoming than
faceless masses of Administratum They crossed a vast bridge that he ever had by any battle, Guilliman
drones and ragged shanties in which spanned for fifty miles over a smog- came before the final gate. Beyond
the poor and the maimed crawled like laden trench, whose walls were that expansive arch lay the Emperor’s
maggots in a wound. Billions watched formed from manufactorums and throne room, and there, the Golden
the procession’s progress as they smelteries beyond count. Throne of the Master of Mankind.

89

BEFORE THE GOLDEN THRONE

There were many routes to the brothers of the Terran Crusade, Stepping aside, Guilliman
Emperor’s throne room. This gilded footfalls crashing and weapons held commanded the Custodian Guards to
doorway stood at the end of a at parade ground readiness. Despite apprehend Cypher and his warriors.
towering cathedrum processional. all they had endured, the Space Their presence was a riddle, one that
Its worn flagstones thronged with Marines and Grey Knights made for a could be solved once more pressing
millions of desperate petitioners magnificent sight. matters had been attended to.
and pilgrims. Golden light filtered
through immense stained glass Guilliman halted at the foot of the Cypher responded with the first show
windows that depicted the Emperor’s stairs, and looked up into the steely of emotion any there had seen from
greatest deeds. Innumerable eyes of the Custodians. Their leader him. He snarled in anger, ripping
candles burned in that cavernous stepped forward, rapping his ornate his pistols from their holsters before
space, filling the air with greasy spear thrice against the top step hesitating for one crucial moment,
smoke, and hymnals rang from the and announcing himself as Aquila visibly torn between attempting
mouths of hunched cyber-cherubim. Commander Kalim Varanor. In escape and making a doomed lunge
Incense billowed and bells tolled, formal high gothic, Varanor asked for the doorway above. In that
while Ministorum Priests delivered who came before the throne room of second, the Custodians closed in
wrathful sermons from servo-pulpits. the Emperor of Mankind. with their guardian spears levelled.
Throngs of Tech-Priests muttered Cypher and his followers found
and swayed in shadowed corners. Equally formal, Shield-Captain themselves surrounded in a ring
Officers of the Imperial Navy and Adronitus announced the leaders of crackling blades. Slowly, his
Astra Militarum spoke earnestly of the Terran Crusade, one by one. half-seen expression grim, Cypher
together, gesturing to dataslates Further words were exchanged, holstered his weapons, and he and his
held up by robed menials. Penitent ancient forms repeated by rote, brothers knelt in submission before
nobles dangled in golden pain-cages, but lent gravitas by the arrival of their captors.
whimpering blandishments to the a living Primarch. Guilliman’s
Custodian Guards who walked their purpose was demanded and given: Wrists bound with electrocuffs, they
patrol routes below. to gain an audience with his father, were led away by stern Custodians
the Emperor. The air thickened and locked away within a warded
The doorway itself was beautifully with tension, millions of onlookers prison block that, for thousands
worked in gold, bronze and precious holding their collective breaths as the of years, not a single inmate had
stones, though it had the look of Aquila Commander held the gaze of escaped. In just a few short hours,
ancient, faded grandeur. It stood the returned Primarch. Would Kalim however, Cypher would do just that,
fifty feet high within an arch of black Varanor suspect some treachery? and in doing so leave no trace of his
marble, atop a flight of stone steps Would he decry Guilliman as false, or passing. For the moment, though,
into which deep grooves had been demand further proof of his identity? Guilliman knew only that the sinister
worn by the passage of countless feet. figures were dealt with, and more
The edges of each step were piled The Aquila Commander looked pressing matters could be attended
with petitioners’ bones. Atop the to the Martian priest hunched at to. Face solemn, blade sheathed and
steps stood twenty of the Adeptus Guilliman’s side. The robed figure helm tucked under one arm, the
Custodes. They were accompanied inclined its head in assent, and Primarch ascended to his father’s
by a Martian priest, and led by a Varanor announced his verdict. The throne room.
regal warrior in a high-plumed helm, Primarch would be permitted to
golden armour and an ermine- pass, alone, into the throne room. All At the top of the steps, the Custodian
trimmed cloak. others would wait outside. Guards parted to allow the Primarch
passage. The Tech-Priest stepped
Roboute Guilliman strode up the At this, Cypher stiffened, his hands forward, however, emitting a blurt
processional, through masses of straying towards his holstered of binharic cant and bowing before
pilgrims and petitioners who reached pistols. Guilliman had expected this Guilliman. With skittering haste,
out quivering hands to touch his moment, and had planned for it Archmagos Cawl swayed up the steps
armour as he passed. With him accordingly. The hooded Dark Angel behind the Primarch and came to his
walked Captain Sicarius, Grand and his men had upheld their end side. Guilliman waited, impatient, as
Master Voldus, Shield-Captain of the bargain, granting Guilliman the two Martian priests exchanged
Adronitus, and the mysterious his freedom on the Blackstone encoded binharic blurts, then Cawl
Cypher and his battle-brothers, Fortress. Yet the Primarch was not turned to him and spoke cryptic
along with Belisarius Cawl, Katarinya fool enough to trust such an ominous words. Only the Custodes heard what
Greyfax and Saint Celestine. This figure blindly. He might not have was said, of secret pacts on Mars,
last figure was scarcely less adored by recognised Cypher, but he knew the and long works drawing at last to
the crowds than Guilliman himself, blade on the Dark Angel’s back. The their conclusions, but – as with so
and she turned aside before the sight of it made him shudder with many dark secrets exchanged over
steps to offer her blessings to all. dread. He would not permit such a the millennia upon these very steps –
Behind them marched the last battle- thing into his father’s presence. they affected deafness and ignorance.

90

For ten thousand years and more, the Adeptus Custodes have stood watch
over the Emperor. Before the Horus Heresy, these resplendant warriors
guarded the Emperor wherever he went and swore to give their lives to
protect his. After his incarceration in the Golden Throne, they watched over
their recumbent master and patrolled the precincts of the Imperial Palace,
ever vigilant for threats.

Every Custodian is a hero in his own right. Stronger and faster than even
the Adeptus Astartes, these champions wear magnificent artificer armour,
and are allowed to equip themselves with whichever weapons they so choose.
Fighting with whirling guardian spears, the Custodes can best many times
their own number of foes.

No one knows for sure how many hidden coups, secret rebellions and
misguided attempts at assassination the Adeptus Custodes have foiled. That
their martial skills remain so sharp after ten thousand years, however, is
evidence that they have not stood an idle vigil.

Their exchange concluded, Cawl Only when the day cycle dawned eruptions. Witch-lights swam between
turned without comment and swept again with soaring hymns and a the stars, and monstrous things
down the steps, his acolyte in tow. The swelling glare of lumen-light did the moved behind the veil of reality, all
priests vanished through the crowd doors finally swing open. Glowing gnashing fangs and glaring eyes.
and thence from Terra entirely, for mist spilled from within, silver now
they had matters of significant import like the cold shimmer of moonlight Whole sectors of the Imperium were
to attend to upon the red planet. on bones, and from the cold radiance going dark, while others reported the
stepped Roboute Guilliman. onslaught of rabid greenskin hordes,
Guilliman was left standing alone aggressive Tau fleets or deathless
before the ornate doorway, dwarfed The Primarch’s expression was Necron hosts, seemingly driven to
by its immensity. A single, booming unreadable as he strode down conquest in the face of the expanding
chime rang through the cathedrum the steps to rejoin his warriors. storm fronts. Heretic cults and rogue
processional, and a collective sigh of The crowds cried out in awe and psykers rose up in their billions, and
wonder and fear escaped the pilgrims dread, begging the Primarch for every Imperial world seemed set to
gathered there as the doorway enlightenment. Instead, Guilliman burn in the fires of galactic war.
cracked open. Slowly, silently, the gathered his soldiers around him, and
tall doors swung inwards to reveal bade Aquila Commander Varanor For all these disturbing omens and
only darkness and drifting mists to attend him also. Guilliman disastrous losses, Guilliman urged
beyond. The vapours twined about demanded an immediate assembly Humanity’s leaders not to give up
Guilliman’s limbs like serpents, and of the High Lords of Terra, stating hope. The Emperor of the Imperium
spilled down the steps behind him that he intended to resume his seat was not blind to their plight, and
amidst the faint echo of sorrowful, upon that august council. Roboute neither was its Lord Commander.
ghostly voices. Noble features set in Guilliman would become the Lord
an implacable mask, Guilliman took Commander of the Imperium of New armies would be raised, in
a slow, deep breath and stepped into Mankind once more. Of his meeting breathtaking numbers. From
the Emperor’s throne room. with the Emperor, Guilliman would Belisarius Cawl’s forges on Mars,
say only that he had received all the Guilliman planned to bring forth
As silently as they had opened, the enlightenment that he required. new and terrible weapons whose fury
doors swept closed behind him, and even the worshippers of the Chaos
Roboute Guilliman was lost to sight. There was much now to be done, for Gods would be unable to withstand.
the threat of Chaos grew greater by Fresh fleets would be built, grand war
Hours passed, during which the the hour. But Guilliman knew what engines consecrated in the Emperor’s
warriors of the Terran Crusade must be done, and he would not shy holy name. The manufactorums
stood silently to attention before the from doing it. would labour like never before, and
throne room doors. Awed murmuring every single servant of the Emperor
amongst the crowds turned to fervent In the days that followed, the Primarch would do their part. The Imperium
prayer, and more than one petitioner became the centre of a whirlwind of faced total war on a galactic scale;
ventured forward to present Captain activity. He addressed the High Lords, with Warp storms spreading and
Sicarius, Grand Master Voldus and claiming the Emperor’s personal intensifying, no world was safe. Yet
their brothers with meagre devotional mandate as he forcibly removed several Humanity would not drown in this
offerings and words of thanks. Saint of them from office and replaced them tide of warfare, but instead would ride
Celestine and Inquisitor Greyfax with individuals of his own choosing. upon the crest of a bloody wave to
chose this moment to depart, the Guilliman warned the High Lords of triumph against the darkness.
former to spread her blessings, and an encroaching darkness, a terrible
the latter to report to her Ordo Warp phenomenon that was even now Roboute Guilliman vowed that he
Hereticus superiors. manifesting itself across the galaxy would not cower behind Terra’s walls
from end to end. The war against and wait for Mankind’s oppressors
The Emperor’s palace had no natural the Dark Gods was entering a new to bring death to his door. He would
cycles of night and day, the sky long phase, more desperate and doom- stride out amongst the stars and meet
lost amidst a miasma of artificial light laden than ever before. The Great Rift the enemy in the Emperor’s name, as
and swirling pollutant clouds. Instead, was opening. he always had. The Imperium would
the electrosconces and lumen- unite as one in the face of mutual
chandeliers dimmed low at the tap of The ever-growing flood of astropathic annihilation, and take the battle to
lamp-servitors’ wands. The petitioners distress calls reaching Terra the mutant, the traitor, the alien and
huddled around parchment fires, still supported the Primarch’s warnings. the heretic. So commanded Roboute
intoning prayers for the Primarch Cadia had been only the beginning. Guilliman and thus, even as the Warp
as they forced down the bowls of From the ravaged Fenris Sector and storms raged and the Astronomican
nutrient gruel brought to them by Ork-infested Armageddon, to the itself strove to pierce their ever-
Ministorum Servitors. Many lay down systems of Attila and Balor – all felt blackening clouds, vast armies and
upon piles of threadbare surplices to the grasping claws of Chaos. New armadas were raised in numbers not
sleep, while the Ultramarines kept Warp rifts were splitting the void in seen since the Great Crusade. A dark
their tireless vigil at the base of the terrifying number, while existing new age called from amidst the fires
steps as they waited for their gene-sire phenomena roiled outwards like of endless war, and the Imperium
to return to them. the pyroclastic clouds of volcanic would answer.

92



Cypher ghosts through the shadows amidst his fellow Fallen.

Voldus and his heroic brothers turn back the daemonic tide.
94

95

Roboute Guilliman, the Lord of Ultramar

Guilliman leads his noble scions to war.
96

Grand Master Voldus of the Grey Knights 3rd Brotherhood

Cypher, the mysterious Lord of the Fallen

97

FALLEN ANGELS This Fallen Champion,
Daskhorael the Sinister,
Brother Korlael, a has subjugated a dozen
champion of the Fallen, Imperial worlds.
known as the Seeker
of Redemption.

This Fallen Angel is known Azkhar the Tainted, a This Fallen Angel hides Aphkal the Reaper’s true
only as the Scouring Light, Fallen brother who teeters scarred marks of contrition allegiance remains a dark
and never speaks. on the brink of damnation. beneath his robes. and guarded secret.

Some whisper that nothing The Red Whisper seeks to Some say Brother Khael’s Zarial the Grim
living remains within slay the greatest beasts he enshrined blade represents acknowledges no master
Brother Zhorn’s armour. can in the Lion’s name. his enduring loyalty. and knows only hate.

98

The iconography used
by the Fallen Angels
varies depending upon
the temperament and
loyalties of the warrior
in question. Those who
still consider themselves
repentant loyalists
tend towards borrowed
elements of pre- or
post-heresy Dark Angel
designs and numerals.
Others obfuscate their
identity altogether, or
even revel in the use of
proto-chaotic symbology.

This nameless Fallen Angel Brother Namaer forcever This Fallen Brother calls Zakhariel the Contrite is,
seeks mighty Imperial recites the names of those himself the Knight of in truth, aything but, and
champions to slay. who fell on Caliban. Ancient Vengeance. revels in his corruption.

Brother Karliel seeks to Brother Athor renews his Brother Khaphas delights Rakhar the Blade has
burn away his guilt in the oaths to Luther with every in slaughtering loyalists eviscerated many great
flames of battle. new dawn. with heavy firepower. Imperial heroes.

99