The Wayward Son

by Angelus Titanus

Specially chosen by the Ordo Malleus to help hunt down the leader of a warband of Emperor's Children, Kill Team Calamity of the Deathwatch encounter way more than they were counting on. Between Heretics, the Inquisition, Eldar, Dark Eldar, and Chaos one Blood Raven librarian has his faith truly tested in the midst of heresy and temptation in the 13th Black Crusade.

26. Chapter 26

A/N: Sorry in advance...

Chapter 26: The Forgotten and the Purged

As Seiras and Ferrus walked side by side behind Melisara, the librarian took the time to explain a brief overview of what the Inquisition was.

"Explain these Ordo sub-categories to me in more detail," Ferrus requested.

"Of course my lord. The Inquisition is divided into three main sub-categories. There's the Ordo Malleus which specializes in killing daemons and dealing with chaos. There's the Ordo Hereticus which primarily hunts down renegades, traitors, mutants, and heretics to the Ecclesiarchy. Then there's the Ordo Xenos which I'm a part of. Their primarily role is combatting alien forces. I am on what's called a Kill Team which is a squad of Astartes from the Deathwatch consisting of marines from various chapters that are uniquely specialized for the Kill Team's needs. However, I'm currently under the command of the Ordo Malleus since my Kill Team had a reputation for killing chaos marines almost as much as aliens. It's this reason that the Ordo Malleus requested my Kill Team as backup. They usually don't work with Deathwatch, but we're what's called an Umbra Kill Team...which is a Kill Team specialized for dealing with chaos threats the Ordo Xenos may encounter. There's usually only one or two Umbra Kill Teams per Watch Fortress. Many were taken by the Ordo Malleus recently since the Grey Knights are stretched then. I was with Inquisitor Atia Castilla of the Ordo Malleus and her fleet before I got captured by the dark eldar as I previously mentioned earlier." Seiras answered.

"So Grey Knights are a special order of Astartes that work for the Ordo Malleus? What makes them so uniquely suited for that?" Ferrus asked.

"Every Grey Knight is a psyker, and even their regular marines are usually superior to seasoned librarians. They don't have a primarch either...supposedly their gene-seed is derived from the Emperor himself like the Custodes. They're a rather special chapter. Although their existence is usually kept secret by most people. Only some Astartes and high ranking Imperial Forces even know they exist. I know very little about them other than that," the librarian answered.

Ferrus looked at him curiously, "So they were created specifically for fighting daemons then? Who founded this Inquisition?"

"Well the early history is all classified and locked away, so most people don't know. Thankfully, I was allowed to access Inquisitorial records at several of my Watch assignments. Apparently, Malcador the Hero established the Inquisition back during the ancient heresy. By his decree, an Inquisitor has supreme authority over all imperial forces, and they are above the laws of politicians. Even the Lords of Terra can't tell them what to do, though the two rarely ever challenge each other officially. An Inquisitor supposedly answers only to the Emperor…but since the Emperor isn't present to be their supreme authority, most Inquisitors just do whatever they want. Many abuse their power for personal reasons. I was originally assigned to the Watch Fortress Doombreak which is at the border of Segmentums Ultima, Tempestus, and Solar. The Inquisitor that recruited me was named Jena Orichiel. I primarily worked for her but was sent with my Kill Team to work with other Ordo Xenos inquisitors when she allowed it. Lady Orichiel had a fascination with xenos cultures and weapons…particularly the Eldar. When she found out about my expertise on Eldar technology, culture, and other things, she sent word to my chapter that she would be conscripting me for the Deathwatch. If an Inquisitor wants an Astartes, their chapter has no choice but to send them. My chapter master at the time didn't approve of it, but many of my brothers saw it as a great honour since only a dozen in our history have ever been selected. When one joins the Deathwatch, we are given the silver pauldron of the Inquisition on our left shoulder and we paint our armour black. Mine still retains a bit of blue so I can be distinguished as a librarian. Though we repaint our armour, we keep our original chapter's colour and heraldry on the right pauldron. The only exception to this is if one is a blackshield. They area Astartes who have forsaken their former chapter," Seiras trailed off as he then began to think about Omegon.

"That is interesting to hear individual Astartes from all over the Imperium work together. I actually approve of that type of thing. You mentioned Malcador the Hero created this Inquisition? Don't you mean Malcador the Sigillite? What ever happened to him?" Ferrus asked.

"Well while the Emperor battled Horus, Malcador had to hold the Golden Throne's warp tear at bay. It ended up killing him. Most people don't know that, but I've been able to gain access to a lot of classified knowledge thanks to my good relations with my inquisitors," Seiras briefly explained.

Ferrus gave an emotionless stare into the distance, "The Lord Regent of Terra is gone…so who rules the Imperium officially then if the Emperor isn't able to? You mentioned Lords of Terra?"

"The Senatorum Imperialis…more commonly called the High Lords of Terra. They consist of an elite supreme leader from all twelve major factions of the Imperium. They are the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard, the Master of the Administratum, The Inquisitorial Representative…likely a Lord Inquisitor, the Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum, the Fabricator-General of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites, the Paternoval Envoy of the Navigators, the Master of the Astronomican, the Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum, the Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, The Abbess of the Adepta Sororitas, and the Lord High Admiral of the Imperial Navy. Those are the main twelve. They have lesser lords and special reserved spots for things like the Custodes Captain-General, the Lord Commander of Segmentum Solar, Commandant of the Schola Progenium, and so on so forth. They essentially run the Imperium and are kept under close watch by the Inquisition or other high lords," Seiras explained.

"I don't even know what some of those organizations are. So this council has no primarch or Astartes representative?" Ferrus asked.

Seiras shrugged, "No…though I can't think of any space marine that could tolerate such bureaucracy."

"I can…that sounds perfectly suited for the Ultramarines," Ferrus noted.

The Blood Raven shook his head, "Well I hear Lord Guilliman recently returned to the Imperium. He's the first primarch that's been seen in thousands of years. I imagine nobody on that council would try to command him at all. As for the Astartes, chapters pretty much operate above the jurisdiction of the High Lords…so long as we're approved by the Inquisition and we don't directly contradict their decrees."

"Roboute is alive? Well at least that means I don't have to fix this mess all by myself. That much bureaucracy sounds like my personal nightmare. I look forward to asking Guilliman more about these things in detail," Ferrus said approvingly.

"I'm certain he will welcome the help as well. It can't be easy coming back to find he's the only loyalist primarch left," Seiras frowned.

"What ever happened to Dorn, Lion, or Vulkan? What about Corax or Khan?" Ferrus wondered.

Seiras shrugged, "Nobody knows. The Imperial Fists told me Dorn died. The Dark Angels don't tell anyone anything, but most people assume the Lion is dead too. Vulkan, Russ, Corax, and Khan all were MIA thousands of years ago and haven't been seen since. Well…we saw Leman Russ, so it's possible some of them are alive too."

Ferrus scoffed, "Corax and Vulkan abandoning the Imperium…that sounds about right. Well at least Guilliman is there. I would pick him over any of my brothers to fix this bureaucratic mess. If Lion was there, he would have executed everyone who questioned him and usurped the Imperium and this Inquistion."

"Well honestly, I can't imagine a normal human would ever question a loyalist primarch. You are the Emperor's sons after all and are regarded as mythical saints. They even named a holiday after Sanguinius on the Solar anniversary of his death. It's called Sanguinala and is on the first day of Candlemas. I believe the Terran date is December 25th. It usually involves lighting candles, eating great feasts, watching parades, singing, and gift exchange to celebrate the unity of mankind. The last day of Candlemas is called Emperor's Day and it marks the end of a Terran Solar year." Seiras explained.

Ferrus rose a brow disbelievingly, "I don't understand this Sanguinala holiday. They celebrate on the day of Sanguinius' death?!"

"It's primarily a celebration of the Emperor's victory in the great heresy and is also treated as an annual memorial of the great angel's sacrifice. Most people don't really know much about the heresy, but they see it as a time of mankind's reunification under the Emperor. While every world has its own customs regarding Candlemas, most people across the Imperium will wear red and gold on Sanguinala as well as badges. Astartes don't really celebrate it, but many pay respects to Sanguinius on that day. Some chapters march in the parades of local hiveworlds as well if they're not tied up in battle or other duties. I marched in a few on a hive world called Meridian. They would pay us with supplies to partake in it," Seiras elaborated.

"That sounds unusual, but I don't really have an issue with the normal citizens venerating the sacrifice of my brother and father," Ferrus trailed off.

"There's also a holiday named after you as well. It's called Iron Day. Some places also call it Saint Iron's Day, Gorgon Day, or the Festival of Iron. Usually it involves sporting events on heavily populated worlds, titan parades on forgeworlds, live prayers and concert performances, and in some places an Iron Joust at the end. That last part is what it's best known for since it involves Imperial Knights dueling in a tournament. It's far more popular in Segmentum Solar because that's where the jousts usually take place. Though any sub-sector with a Knight World will undoubtedly have one. From what I understand, the Imperial Knight that comes in first place in Segmentum Solar is given a specially made attachment for their Knight by the Mechanicus called the Gorgon Crown. It's essentially a giant iron halo made from a fractured STC. It bears the iconography of your legion, the Mechanicus, and the Knight's homeworld. If a knight has a Gorgon Crown, they are held in the highest reverence by all Imperial Forces. They are given the right to call upon titan legions, Astartes chapters, and even the Imperial Guard and Navy. Not only that, but winners usually become Kings or Queens of their respective planets and Sub-Sectors as well. I don't understand the holiday's purpose, but it's especially relevant to the Mechanicus." Seiras followed up.

"Hmm…I didn't realize Imperial Knights thought that highly of me. I was not the most accomplished primarch," Ferrus said disbelievingly.

Seiras shrugged, "I think it's more to do with how much the Mechanicus reveres you. Knights are usually closely allied to the Mechanicus or to Terra…and you're the Emperor's son to some and one of the Omnissiah's greatest creations to others. Nevertheless, I doubt even the Inquisition would try to question you if you asked titan legions or Knight Worlds to come with you."

After blankly staring ahead for a moment, Ferrus spoke again, "So this Inquisition has full authority over most of the Imperium and answers only to the Emperor supposedly? I think recruiting them should be the first and best decision upon my return."

"Many Astartes chapters would follow you regardless of what they said anyways. Though the Inquisition would be invaluable to have as an ally," Seiras replied.

Ferrus narrowed his gaze, "You keep referring to chapters…and not legions. Why is that?"

Seiras looked down for a moment, "There technically aren't astartes legions anymore my lord. They were disbanded after the heresy into thousand-man chapters."

"What?! Who would disband the legions, and why?!" Ferrus gawked.

"Lord Roboute Guilliman wrote a tome called the Codex Astartes. I'll spare the details on all of the tactical reformations it created and encouraged, but essentially it decreed that the legions be split into chapters and assigned sub-sectors throughout the galaxy to patrol and defend. The Inquisition also supported this at the time as they did not want another full-scale uprising on the scale of the heresy ever again," Seiras elaborated.

The sound of clanking metal echoed as Ferrus cracked his fists. He looked mad at the news, "So you're telling me that my sons among all other legions were divided into tiny chapters because the survivors were afraid of another civil war? That's ridiculous! It just makes them easier to kill off!"

"That was a point I think…with the Emperor entombed in the Golden Throne and a lot of the primarchs gone, a legion of renegade space marines could easily conquer Terra or other vital locations. I've never seen a space marine legion, so I don't really know what it would be like. Although it does seem a logical decision for the time. First Founding Chapters are the core remnants of the former legions and they keep the same name. However, many maintain close ties with one another in case they ever need to join up with more Astartes. I know the Dark Angels and Ultramarines usually keep close relations with their successor brother chapters," Seiras explained.

"Pfft…I'll need more than a thousand space marines if I'm to do anything relevant upon my return to the Imperium. I'll talk to Guilliman about this Codex Astartes, and I will be taking command of all of my sons again," Ferrus said sternly.

"Well we are in the middle of a Black Crusade. If ever there was a time to reform legions, it's certainly now," Seiras nodded.

"Black Crusade?" Ferrus tilted his head in confusion.

"It's what we call it when Chaos leaves the Eye of Terror and tries to conquer and destroy their way to Terra. This is the 13th one since the heresy. They're led by Abaddon the Despoiler in most cases. He's the Warmaster of Chaos," the librarian elaborated.

"Horus' first captain is the leader of Chaos? What about Fulgrim, or Angron…none of the primarchs are in command?" he asked.

Seiras shook his head, "No, surprisingly…though most of them became Daemon Princes. In fact I think all of them did except Alpharius, Curze, and Perturabo. I met an Imperial Fist Librarian at the Watch Fortress Doombreak who confirmed to me that Perturabo wasn't actually a daemon prince despite the rumors around the Inquisition. As for Abaddon, he has been the Warmaster of Chaos for over ten millennia now."

"I remember Abaddon quite well. He was a great space marine and certainly one of Horus' best sons. Though considering my once closest brother Fulgrim is a daemon now, I shouldn't be surprised by this grim news," Ferrus sighed.

"What was likable about Abaddon the Despoiler?" Seiras wondered.

"He was charismatic, and he was empathetic to his brothers. He truly embodied the essence of brotherhood and he was well liked by many marines from other legions. I told my own sons to emulate his example of leadership. I suppose he's still a great leader in his own twisted way considering he leads the traitor marines now," Ferrus shrugged.

"According to Fabius Bile, Abaddon is halfway respectable because he doesn't worship the Chaos Gods and has no aspirations for daemonhood," Melisara joined in the conversation.

Ferrus rolled his eyes, "Fabius Bile…I can't believe that disgusting maniac is still alive or that he was able to clone me. The twisted ironies of this universe never cease. Something I don't understand though is how do I have my Iron Hands again?"

"I recreated them with necrodermis…it's the same material necrons and C'tan shards are made out of. The Wyrm you killed was made out of Necrodermis as well. It's an alien metal with malleable properties. I can educate you on how to use necrodermis better. I noticed you only used it properly when you forge," she explained.

The primarch looked confused, "Necrodermis? So that's what it is? You're saying you put xenos metal on my arms and throat?!"

"Well I wanted to make sure you were able to be your true self once again. Plus the bit on the neck was just so you wouldn't get decapitated again," Melisara chuckled.

Ferrus didn't approve of her humor as he moved with blinding speed to grab the haemonculus by the throat. He held her off the ground and growled, "You think that's funny, do you?!"

Despite her predicament, Melisara seemed calm. She spoke with an apologetic tone, "Forgive me, that was rude. I just had some left over and decided to put it there."

Ferrus glared at her, "I never wanted these iron hands…you had no right to do this to me! I was actually thinking about having them removed before Fulgrim betrayed me!"

"I am aware of that...but you underestimate their capabilities. Plus it would be foolish to return to the Imperium without your iconic iron hands, Ferrus. It's what you're known for and in today's age, symbolism is very important to the Imperium." Melisara noted.

"Is that right?!" he scoffed.

"I don't understand, Lord Ferrus…aren't your iron hands the most famous thing about you? Why would you want to remove them?" Seiras asked.

The primarch shook his head, "The Emperor already created me the way he intended…I don't need xenos tampering or artificial enhancements! Unlike my sons, I never wanted to be a machine more than a man."

"Aren't your sons obsessed with cybernetics…they aspire to emulate your iron hands do they not? They quote you all the time and say that 'The Flesh is Weak.'" Seiras added.

Ferrus let go of Melisara's throat and looked at Seiras, "My sons take everything too literally. When I said 'The Flesh is Weak'…I didn't mean the Astartes form was weaker than machines. I meant our mortal shells are weak in comparison to our minds. Real strength is willpower and spirit. Unlike our bodies or machines, the undying belief in one's cause is far more powerful. Our ideals and our legacies...these are things are not so easily destroyed or killed."

'Well the Iron Hands have certainly misinterpreted a lot then…' Seiras thought to himself.

"I agree with you Ferrus," Melisara nodded.

He looked at Melisara dangerously, "What are these necrons exactly?"

"They're ancient aliens that warred with the Aeldari millions of years ago. They're all completely machines with their former races' souls long gone. Necrodermis is what their bodies are made of. It's a nearly indestructible liquid metallic compound capable of reforming and healing itself. The creature you killed on Medusa was covered in Necrodermis and it smelted onto your own arms after you strangled it in the lava. I recreated the process by smelting necron shells and putting it back on your arms. Due to your Immortis gland, you were able to heal from the burns and your cells regenerated so fast that the Necrodermis became a part of you. They're exactly the same as before," Melisara interjected.

The Gorgon sighed, "You know far too much about me…I find it strange an Eldar would be so obsessed with the Emperor and the Imperium. I always thought the wyrm I killed was ancient human tech…not xenos. I don't approve, but I'll need these hands if I'm to reforge a proper weapon. I don't like the idea of becoming reliant on them, but I suppose that can't be helped now."

"I'm merely being honest, Ferrus. I had no reason to tell you or Seiras this much about everything. I did it because I'm actually trying to help. Ask me whatever you want, and I'll tell you about it. I'm not withholding any secrets from you," she remarked.

Ferrus stared at her intensely, "Vulkan hated your kind…he despised you dark eldar more than anything in this galaxy. He would find your 'generosity' impossible. I myself still can't decide whether or not to let you live."

"Well it might be a good idea to reconsider killing me...or attempting to. I am the one with the ship after all. I'm unique among my kind because I actually care about the future. My immortality means nothing if the galaxy falls into chaos and ruin. I'm not going to pretend like I'm some virtuous being. By your human morality I would certainly be considered evil or malicious. Look past that and consider all I've done to prove my sincerity in this situation. I did help the Emperor did I not? I convinced a traitor marine to give me his last clone of you. I convinced Seiras to resurrect you as well. Believe me when I say my intentions are a genuine effort to restore order to the Galaxy," she reminded him.

"You've made your point…I'll let it go for now. Where is this ship? How much longer till we're there?" Ferrus asked impatiently.

Melisara smiled, "Khaine's Gate isn't far now. We just have to pass through the Gate and into the Chasm of Woes."

"Let's get out of this forsaken realm…" he said distastefully.

Trying to distract himself from anger, Ferrus looked back at Seiras, "I have another question librarian. What happens if an Inquisitor becomes corrupted? Who has the authority to stop them?"

"Only an Inquisitor Lord or another two Inquisitors can really reprimand an Inquisitor out of the line of duty. Usually the Ordo Hereticus sends Inquisitors in pairs and they will sometimes investigate other Inquisitors and each other for the Inquisitor Lord. The Ordo Hereticus tends to work with the Ecclesiarchy as well," Seiras remarked.

"How much authority does an Inquisitor have over space marines? Are chapters completely bound to do their every bidding? They seem more susceptible to corruption than Astartes are if they're only regular humans. That sounds dangerous." Ferrus said dryly.

"They don't actually have direct command over most space marines, but almost all chapters would obey the Inquisition as they have the authority to allocate resources to a chapter or condemn a chapter as traitors or heretics. Granted they can't really condemn a chapter without proof, and it's almost unheard of for an Inquisitor to reprimand a First Founding Chapter. A good example is they tried to kill civilians that witnessed chaos when helping Space Wolves fight a daemon threat once. The Space Wolves got angry about this and the two sides fought each other. Under normal circumstances a chapter would be deemed excommunicate traitorus and purged…but the Space Wolves had diplomatic immunity as they are universally trusted and respected by most of the Imperium. Plus all of the First Founding Chapters would openly rebel if the Ordo Malleus tried to purge Fenris for no valid reason. The only full authority Inquisitors directly have over space marines is if the Astartes are Grey Knights in the Ordo Malleus or Deathwatch Marines like me in the Ordo Xenos," he answered.

"You mentioned it earlier, but what is this Ecclesiarchy I keep hearing about? It sounds like some religious organization…" Ferrus trailed off.

Seiras felt slightly worried as he spoke up, "Well…it is. They worship the Emperor as a god. In fact most Imperial citizens do."

"What?! The Emperor forbade the worship of him! He even burned Monarchia, Lorgar's pride and joy to the ground for disobeying the Imperial Truth. You're telling me the Imperium worships the Emperor now?! Does that include the space marines?" Ferrus looked even angrier than he did about the news of his legion's disbandment.

"Well most Astartes don't worship the Emperor…we merely see him as a sacred ancestor and the one true paragon of mankind. There are some chapters that do, but I'm not of that belief. Astartes don't exactly get along with the Ecclesiarchy despite how we're seen by the regular citizens of the Imperium. Many people among the Imperium truly believe that Space Marines are the 'God-Emperor's' holy angels, but there are also some purists among the Ecclesiarchy that think we're mutants. It's complicated to explain, my lord," Seiras reluctantly continued.

"This sure doesn't sound like the Imperium of Man. Just a twisted shell of what it used to be. When did this start?" Ferrus said almost horrified.

Seiras detached a data-device slab from his armour and handed it to Ferrus, "Millennia ago, but that's a digital copy of the Lectitio Divinitatus…it's the holy scripture according to the Ecclesiarchy."

Ferrus read over it for a few seconds before his face soured into hatred and disgust, "So the modern Imperium worships the Emperor as a god and Lorgar's own book is their holy scripture?! This is beyond insulting to the Emperor. Lorgar must be laughing in the warp at the irony!"

"Wait…Lorgar wrote that?!" Seiras gawked.

"Yes he did. Many of us read it after his chastisement by the Emperor out of curiosity. It is a nonsensical and ignorant fantasy he sought to project upon our father. Lorgar was always weak…he desperately craved something to believe in because he was too weak to believe in humanity or himself. And now he worships daemons…this is disgusting!" Ferrus spat as he roughly handed the data device back to Seiras.

Seiras sighed, "Well if what you say is true, then it must be extra difficult for Lord Guilliman to stomach. Didn't the Ultramarines burn Monarchia on Colchis? I don't know much about it…I've only heard the story from the Ultramarines."

"Guilliman hated religion as much as I did. His legion slaughtered people on Lorgar's homeworld and purged many of the systems they conquered because of it. I can't even imagine how he's taking this or how these religious zealots must see him. If they seriously think space marines are actually angels, then what would they think of primarchs!?" Ferrus said distraught.

"They likely view Guilliman as a god-prince or some kind of divine saint. I mean even Commorrites call you primarchs god-princes and we're mostly atheistic in Commorragh. A few of the religious humans I've tortured before prayed to various primarchs. I believe the term 'Archangel Sanguinius' was used by one," Melisara mused.

Ferrus glared at her, "Even as ignorant as that is, I don't approve of you torturing humans…"

"Relax, I haven't to do that in a while. I'm immune to soul decay so I don't really 'need' to torture slaves anymore. I just mostly save it for the ones I don't like. Usually the super religious ones," Melisara laughed.

'Like Sylea…I sure hope she doesn't do anything to her,' Seiras thought to himself.

"And here I thought the Age of Strife was the lowest humanity had ever fallen. This modern Imperium of Man is the greatest insult to the Emperor and humanity that I could ever imagine. It is an empire of religious and ignorant zealots that hasn't accomplished anything on its own despite father's belief that humanity could lead itself. It would seem he was wrong…we primarchs will have to save these mortal humans from themselves. Endless bureaucracy and religious fanaticism never leads to progress," Ferrus sighed.

"Sadly you're correct Lord Ferrus…though I have nothing but respect for the men and women that have endured and held humanity together for these many millennia. It's an unfortunate reality, but their religious dogma and ignorant zealotry has safeguarded mankind against fracturing into splinter factions or falling into the darkness of chaos worship. The Inquisition, while radical, has also protected the Imperium more than hurt it. I agree that the entire system is flawed and corrupt, but these things are some of the few pillars of order that keep mankind held intact," the librarian noted.

"There is wisdom in your words, librarian…I suppose I can't deny that inconvenient reality. Nevertheless, I will entrust Guilliman to handle that issue. I am better off leading a Crusade fleet and helping with mechanical problems. Bureaucracy and religion is the last thing I want to deal with. I was built for war and that's where I'm suited," Ferrus trailed off as he began to contemplate various things.

"Lord Ferrus, I have a question of my own. Forgive me if it's inappropriate, but what do you know about the Thunder Warriors?" Seiras asked the primarch.

"Why are you asking me about that? I've never seen one. I only heard the stories that they died in the last battle for Terra," Ferrus replied blankly.

"How, though?" the librarian said distantly.

The Gorgon shrugged, "Mostly through attrition. From what I learned, the Emperor stopped making them halfway through the Unification Wars on ancient Terra and they eventually just died out. That being said, some of my brothers had different theories on what happened. Perturabo once told me he had a vision of massive human warriors being slaughtered by Custodes on a mountain…it's possible that he saw the surviving Thunder Warriors being culled."

"Perturabo had a vision of that?! So then…the Emperor really could have killed them off? Maybe it was just a vision that chaos was trying to show him?" the librarian tried to explain away the possibility.

"I honestly don't know. Fulgrim said as much when he tried to convince me to join Horus. It was one of his driving points about why we should turn against our father. Horus convinced him that Astartes and primarchs would suffer the same fate. As insane as it sounds, I had heard these things long before the Heresy broke out. Several primarchs believed this to be true, and not all of them were traitors. Magnus, Perturabo, Lion, and Guilliman all personally believed the Thunder Warriors were culled. Each of them confided in me about this even before Ullanor. Considering how different they all are, I am inclined to believe it's at least partially true. Most Thunder Warriors probably died out and the rest could have been purged." Ferrus stated blankly.

"So it is true?" he said uncertainly.

Ferrus gave him a sharp stare, "It doesn't matter whether it's true or not, but I'm willing to believe it is. With that being said, understand this, Seiras…the greatest lies are framed in half-truths. We don't know the Emperor's side of things, and we can't trust daemons weren't trying manipulate us by seeding lies into true statements. Many of my brothers were easily manipulated because their egos blinded them to our father's vision."

Seiras looked distraught, "You are of course correct my lord, but if it is true, then what do you think the Emperor's side of the story is? Why would he kill the Thunder Warriors? Weren't they loyal heroes?"

"You're quite bold to even speak of such things, space marine. It is not my place or yours to question my father's decisions. I am certain he would not have done so without good reason. I learned from the Mechanicum and the gene scientists in the labs of Terra that Thunder Warriors were not built for longevity. They had short human lifespans unlike Astartes or Custodes. They were highly unstable, prone to genetic degradation, they suffered organ failure commonly, and were usually undisciplined. The Emperor likely saw that they had no place left in the future he was trying to build, and they were too dangerous to keep alive. I can't imagine a force like that would be useful in conquering the galaxy. His logic behind their removal was likely one of pure pragmatism and nothing more. Unlike Astartes, they did not have progenoids, and their gene-enhancements could be mass replicated in a lab if acquired. Knowing that was a dangerous liability, makes it easier to accept it as a rational decision. Regardless of whether it's true or why it happened, none of us know the Emperor's burden as the Master of Mankind. It would be petulant and arrogant to condemn him for any decision he deemed appropriate." Ferrus remarked.

"So a lot of the traitor primarchs truly thought the Emperor was going to cull the legions?" Seiras asked.

"Yes, they did. That might be the main reason Perturabo also sided with Horus during this Horus Heresy. He didn't tell anyone except for me and Magnus, but Perturabo had visions of the Eye of Terror and the warp ever since he was young. He That is likely why he was so paranoid all the time. He told me he could always see it and always feel it. Like all of the primarchs, he was psychic to a certain extent. His gift was different than the foresight of Curze or Sanguinius, but it was also similar. He was what Magnus called a psychic empath…he can sense darkness and evil, warp energy, and people's emotions. I imagine he knew Horus was corrupted but chose to follow him anyways. I have no doubts that his decision was one based around his paranoia. His poor relations to the Emperor likely caused him to believe in his twisted visions...regardless of whether they were wholly true or not," the primarch explained sternly.

Seiras shook his head, "Perturabo was a psychic empath? I've only heard the tales of him, but I was under the impression he was unfeeling and purely logical. That doesn't make much sense. Psychic empaths are usually very emotional."

"Perturabo was very emotional, but none of our brothers knew how he truly was beneath his cold and logical demeanor. I believe he acted this way and instilled bitter stoicism in his sons to quell his own emotions. He could have been trying to purge himself of doubts and weakness. There's no telling how it affected him or why he did the things he did. I only learned near the end of the Great Crusade what he was truly like…he was like me in many ways. The only main difference was he believed he was more important than what the Emperor created him for. He believed he had a destiny beyond warfare. He was also too paranoid to trust that the Emperor had a role for him at the end of the Crusade. On our way to Aeon, we spoke a great deal about his issues towards the Great Crusade, the Emperor, and other things. Perturabo told me that he could sense the feelings of disdain and disgust from Malcador and the Custodes. He claimed that Malcador and the Custodes hated Astartes and the primarchs, but he could not sense the Emperor's feelings…and that bothered him. The Emperor elevating many other primarchs above him only made things worse," Ferrus explained.

"Why would Malcador the Hero or Adeptus Custodes hate Astartes and primarchs? That doesn't seem logical…" Seiras said doubtfully.

"I don't think it was hatred…it was merely dissociation and pride. We were not nearly as important as they were. It is likely the same way a space marine might view a soldier in the Imperial Army. To the Custodes, Astartes were mass-produced and expendable warriors that took too much pride in fulfilling their roles as soldiers. As for Malcador, he didn't like any of the primarchs or astartes from what I could tell," Ferrus shrugged.

The Blood Raven was shocked to hear that. He spoke disbelievingly a moment later, "Why though?"

"I asked him if he disliked us primarchs once and he told me this: 'You're all arrogant superhuman children to me…vying for attention, throwing tantrums, and questioning your father's decree. I have no issue with you personally Ferrus, but I believe you primarchs would have been better off being females. Unlike the Custodes, most of you believe in your own glory more than the Emperor.'"

"What?! Females? Why would Malcador the Hero say that? How could you have been female?" Seiras remarked with disbelief.

"I believe it was meant to imply that the Emperor could have made us female if he wanted to and that we weren't inherently special despite our creation. Nevertheless, Perturabo was right to a degree about Malcador. The Lord Regent definitely had some inherent bias against all of the primarchs and our Astartes. He spoke to us as if we were disposable grunts and he trusted very few of us. That is hypocritical and ironic to me because Perurabo treated humans the same way. They called the 4th legion the Corpse Grinders because they had no regard for the human or Astartes lives spent in battle. Regardless of whether or not he was correct, Perturabo did not do himself any favors by his actions," Ferrus elaborated.

Seiras went silent again before he glanced back up at Ferrus, "So Custodes really thought they were better than primarchs too?"

"Not physically, but in purpose they did. The Custodes' views on us primarchs was far more complicated than their opinions on Astartes. Unlike Astartes, we primarchs were created to be even superior to the Custodes. Despite this fact, they saw some primarchs as defective and arrogant mistakes. They treated Magnus, Perturabo, Guilliman, Khan, and Fulgrim with suspicion and contempt because they believed those primarchs sought to be more than what the Emperor made them to be. They despised Mortarion, Lorgar, Angron, Curze, and Alpharius the most though. As for Astartes, I know they didn't like Fulgrim's legion because they got to wear the Aquila and were braggadocios and flamboyant to put it mildly. As far as I'm aware, the Custodes only liked a few of the primarchs such as Sanguinius, Vulkan, Russ, and myself. They liked us because we never questioned the Emperor and because we shared their undying loyalty to our father. They tolerated Dorn, Corax, and Lion, but I don't think they trusted them entirely. To sum it all up, the Custodes believed that they were the Emperor's true sons, and we primarchs and our Astartes were his creations," Ferrus said stoically.

"So do you think the Emperor valued his Custodes more than you primarchs?" Seiras found that hard to believe.

"Perhaps more than some. He certainly had no kinship towards Angron, Mortarion, or Lorgar. However, the Emperor's opinion wasn't one in the same with Malcador and the Custodes. Unlike them, he truly trusted Horus, Fulgrim, Dorn, and Lion. He later came to trust Guilliman and Corax as well. When I tried to explain this to Perturabo, it only made him more bitter. He believed the Emperor hated him and his legion and it was one of his justifications for disregarding their lives. His bitterness blinded him and he was too proud to accept his role like I did," the Gorgon sighed.

"That's strange, but it makes sense I suppose…" Seiras trailed off.

Ferrus had the composure of a statue as he responded, "I don't believe the Emperor intended to cull the legions. My brothers should have trusted that our father had humanity's best interest in mind. Malcador was right about a lot of things. Many of my brothers were far too childish in seeking glory and status."

"What would you have done if the Emperor did cull the legions though?" Seiras couldn't help but ask.

"I would have accepted it, since it would mean the Emperor no longer thought I was useful. I would never give him any reason to doubt that I was one hundred percent loyal to his vision and to mankind. They could take my life, but they couldn't tarnish my honour or loyalty," Ferrus remarked. A quiet tension soon broke out as Seiras wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"So, what is your opinion on female primarchs, Lord Ferrus? I've never considered something so impossibly outrageous." the librarian changed the subject.

Melisara perked up, "Ah yes…female primarchs. That would certainly have been interesting."

"It would have been wasteful. If the primarchs were all created female, then the gene-seed of their Astartes would likely require females. The process of gene-seed implementation already requires genetically perfect aspirants. It would weaken the human gene-pool and sterilize selected females with good genetics. They are far more valuable as normal breeders and aren't as psychologically attuned to obedience and sacrifice like males are. There's also the possibility of a mutation occurring which would allow them to reproduce as Astartes or primarchs. That would have been disastrous. There is no way the Emperor would have gone through with something so dangerous. If anything the Custodes would have been better suited to being female since they are all individually crafted," Ferrus noted.

"I'd love to make a female Custodes…" Melisara perked up with eagerness at the idea.

Ferrus glared at her, "I would never allow that."

"What do you think a female Astartes would look like?" Seiras wondered.

"It just depends on how their primarch is built. Fabius Bile often experimented with female aspirants in secret. Those that survived initial attrition often changed genetically to match the regular male Astartes aspirants. Their voices deepened, their breast tissue disappeared, and their reproductive organs changed. I'll spare you the details there. For some reason Fulgrim's pure gene line didn't kill them outright. I never saw any past initial implants, but it's entirely possible some of Fulgrim's legionaries were originally female before they became Astartes. Fulgrim's legion was desperate to replenish its numbers during the early years of the Crusade. Still...I never confirmed an actual example since I immediately commanded it to be stopped. If any did become full space marines, they would be indistinguishable from their brother Astartes…especially since Fulgrim's marines were very androgynous and feminine already. Considering Fabius Bile was able to clone me, I wouldn't put it past him to succeed at it. If such experiments did continue, I was not trusted with seeing them after that. However, if the primarchs were created female, their Astartes would look more female. That would have been counterproductive in many ways. Why make a three-plus meter-tall woman into a weapon of war and require female aspirants for warriors? There is a great deal of sexual dimorphism in regular humans, and female superhumans would have not only been wasteful, but also biologically inferior unless they were created to look and function the same or even superior to male versions. The entire ordeal would have taken longer, used far more resources, had more risks of mutation, and would have been rather pointless overall," Ferrus explained.

"I agree with that statement, Ferrus, but I believe certain primarchs would have been better suited to a female body. Some of you could have been female…especially the ones with pure gene-lines," Melisara spoke up.

Ferrus sent her a disapproving glare, "Such as?"

"Guilliman and Fulgrim are the best examples. Their gene-seed was remarkably pure for a reason. Corax might have made a good female too since he's all about infiltration and stealth. Plus, you neglected to mention the part where Malcador told you Fulgrim was initially intended to be female but later changed." Melisara pointed out.

"How do you know that?!" He demanded angrily.

Melisara chuckled, "I've seen every one of your memories…remember?"

Ferrus' eyes widened into fury, "Literally everything?!"

"Yes," she nodded simply.

"You keep giving me more and more reasons to kill you…" Ferrus threatened her darkly.

She shook her head, "Must I remind you again that I am not out to sabotage your Imperium? I gave the Custodes a map of the webway...that's practically sabotaging my own species. Relax, Ferrus...I'm not going to say anything."

Seiras briefly zoned out as Ferrus and Melisara argued for a moment. He thought about his conversation with Ferrus and about the Emperor's opinion on primarchs and Astartes. In a way it almost made him sad as he had until recently believed the Emperor actually cared a great deal about the primarchs and the Astartes. To think the Emperor only saw them as tools was a bit disheartening. Even though regular indoctrination always instilled the stoic acceptance of being a weapon, Seiras still hated to think that was all they were. What was the point of doing this then?

'Why would the Emperor save me or Ferrus if he didn't care though?' the librarian wondered with distant melancholy.

Ferrus seemed to sense that Seiras was experiencing some mental issue and looked at him, "Are you mentally stable right now, marine?"

Melisara was quick to intervene as she spoke for him, "Forgive Seiras, he's had a lot of exposure to the warp recently. It might have troubled him slightly. It'll take a while before his sensitivity to the warp diminishes. It's miraculous he didn't spontaneously mutate. He'll be back to normal once we get out of here."

"I'm fine, Lord Ferrus. I was just thinking about my purpose and what the Emperor thinks of me personally after all of this." the librarian responded.

"He likely sees you as a useful space marine considering he helped you resurrect me," Ferrus said with a blunt stoicism.

Seiras nodded, "He's helped me before when I had to navigate a ship through the warp. I just wonder if he has some grander plan for me. I don't consider myself very special or important even as a librarian, but what would he think of me or my chapter after bringing you back? Does my life have any inherent value to him? Do I have some greater purpose beyond this?"

"While I have no wish to belittle your feats and achievements, I doubt it would have been possible without him. It is obvious he wanted you to succeed and that he sees your life is useful. If you're asking me whether or not you think you're special or chosen in his eyes, then I don't know. Personally, I would say you're not any more important to him than a regular human. I've actually seen the way he interacted with space marines. They weren't special to him or better than a civilian farmer or a ship engineer. The best comparison I can make is how you would see the difference between a bolter and a food harvester. They're both important, and they're both necessary for the grand scheme of progress. He saw humanity as a whole…and we were merely it's weapons and armour. My brother Fulgrim and I both talked about this once after his legion received the Aquila. The Emperor's Children truly believed that they were special in the Emperor's eyes. Fulgrim and several of the other primarchs also bought into this delusion. But there were those of us who saw the truth in our roles and were willing to accept it such as Russ and myself. But of course, many of the traitors could not cope with this very well. That is why they were so susceptible to corruption. See to it you don't fall into that mindset," the primarch responded blankly.

"I know you said Perturabo thought the Emperor hated him, but what did you see in the Emperor that the others didn't?" Seiras wondered.

"That the Emperor valued us for the reason we were created…to be his weapons and generals. I accepted this reality and that even though we are his sons, the Emperor knew we were just as disposable as the trillions of men and women in Imperial Army. Despite some of us primarchs reaching the same conclusion, we all handled it in different ways. The only difference between Perturabo and myself is I accepted the reality that none of us are special or destined for anything other than our purpose. We are all nothing without the Emperor. My father and you bringing me back to life isn't seen as act of compassion or favor in my eyes. It isn't some grand destiny or anything nearly as special as you might believe. To me it is the reforging of a trusted sword to use in battle once again. If he thinks that of me, then I regret to inform you that you're likely the same. Do not let this bother you, librarian...do not let it weaken your resolve in any way. I'm simply trying to explain to you that the Emperor only expects you to do your duty as a space marine and safeguard humanity. That is our purpose and we should take pride in it as the Emperor's weapons," Ferrus lectured.

Seiras tilted his head, "I have no objection to your logic, Lord Ferrus. Please forgive my lack of discipline and bearing."

"I find your lack of discipline and your inquisitive nature unusual for a space marine. Though many of Magnus' sons behaved as you do. Your indoctrination was clearly defective, and you're quite brazen to even ask these questions. Nevertheless, you've earned the right to voice your concerns to me. Answering them is the least I can do to compensate you for your deeds here today. Unfortunately, they are questions I cannot answer nearly as well as Guilliman could. Perhaps you'll get the chance to ask him after you explain my resurrection." Ferrus replied.

"You want me to explain that to Lord Guilliman?" Seiras found that unsettling.

Ferrus nodded, "Yes, I do. You will have to explain this situation to Guilliman when we see him. You also have Russ' rune crest, so he'll certainly believe Leman's involvement if he sees that on you. Our first objective after this escape will be to find Guilliman. If he allows it, you can ask him questions. He would explain the Emperor better than I can. I'm sure this goes without saying, but do not go around discussing these things with others."

"I won't Lord Ferrus. I appreciate you answering my questions," Seiras bowed his head respectfully.

The primarch gave him a curt nod, "I am trusting you with this insight because you are to assume the role of my new advisor and honourguard. Your knowledge and expertise in this new age will prove useful to me. Plus, given the circumstances of my resurrection, I am positive that you are loyal."

"I am honoured my lord, but you'll have to talk to the Inquisition to release me from Deathwatch," Seiras explained.

"They will do as I say," Ferrus stated simply.

'Well I certainly look forward seeing that conversation with Atia,' Seiras couldn't help but approve of the possibility.

"Regardless of any objections, I intend to make you an honourary Morlock. That is the honour afforded to the first company of my legion and my honour guards. It is a role that I trust you to fulfill and a position I expect my gene-sons to respect," Ferrus stated distantly.

Seiras' eyes widened, "Won't your sons disapprove of an Astartes from another chapter receiving such an honour?"

"My sons might not approve, but they didn't go to this length to resurrect me…you did. While I don't like your lack of discipline or overwhelming curiosity, I respect the fact that you can think for yourself and you see things differently than most Astartes. The concerns you have are worth addressing and they were problems during the Great Crusade that we shouldn't have ignored. You're an interesting foil to my own thoughts. I don't need an army of yes men agreeing with everything I say or blindly venerating my existence like I'm some mythical god-prince. I need objective opinions and good counsel. I don't know much about your chapter, but I intend to recruit them into my new joint legion as well. I also intend to recruit the Mechanicum, any Imperial Army and Navy forces that'll follow me, and other chapters," the Gorgon stated with determination.

"I will honour and respect this position and do my duty…whatever that entails," Seiras nodded.

"What chapters are you interested in recruiting Ferrus?" Melisara spoke up.

"All of my sons, Seiras' chapter, and the Space Wolves are the only current ones I know about. I'm more interested in getting the Mechanicum and this Inquisition to follow me first, however. They will have the resources necessary for me to equip a legion. Imperial Knights and Titans would also make good allies, but I will have to appeal to them first," he answered.

"Just so you know, the Mechanicum is now the Adeptus Mechanicus. Mechanicum is usually synonymous with the Dark Mechanicum these days," Melisara pointed out.

Ferrus sighed, "I don't care what they call themselves. They will be joining me."

As the trio nearly reached the gate, they were soon stopped by a massive blue bird landing in front of them. Seiras recognized it as the Architect…which he now knew was actually Tzeentch.

"Well done, Seiras! You succeeded. I had foreseen your success in several scenarios…though I didn't expect the Anathema's direct intervention in most of them. Nevertheless, do not think this is over…oh no, this journey has only just begun," the bird cackled.

"What is this thing?!" Ferrus demanded.

Melisara looked a bit appalled by it as well, "It's a daemon…and it knows Seiras."

The Architect glanced at the Melisara, "I didn't realize you were there, haemonculus…Melisara the Immortal Revenant. It has been amusing watching you aid Seiras in Commorragh."

"What?! How are you able to watch me?" She asked a bit surprised.

"Those pylons in your lab might shield you against Slaanesh or the Aeldari, but not me. No…I see everything. I know everything," the daemon said grimly.

"It's that stupid staff in my lab isn't it? I'm getting rid of it," Melisara immediately figured out.

"I thought the Emperor banished all of you daemons…how are you here, Tzeentch?! And what do you want?!" Seiras demanded.

"Ohohoho, so you finally realized, did you? I am not so easily banished by the Anathema…especially within the warp itself! Do not think this little…victory means much in the grand scheme of my plan or your fates. The wheel of time turns again, and a new age will soon be upon us all," Tzeentch replied.

Melisara's eyes widened disbelievingly, "This is Tzeentch? Are you sure this is a chaos god?!"

"Didn't you hear them speaking to Ferrus' Soul during the resurrection, Melisara?" Seiras asked.

She shook her head, "No…though my armour probably deafened it. I could only hear the daemons that spoke directly to you. Is that what the four coloured horizons were? Hmmm…that's foreboding. They appeared once Ferrus' Soul showed up...like they were waiting,"

"You are indeed correct, Melisara. However, I am only an Avatar of Tzeentch," the Architect cackled.

"Who is Tzeentch?" Ferrus Manus asked almost angrily.

"A very good question, Ferrus! I am the Architect of Fate, the Changer of Ways, The Webspinner of Destiny, Bringer of Hope, and the Chaos God of most sorcerers. I am also the guardian and guide of your brother Magnus. I have been guiding him along his path of greatness," Tzeentch answered.

Ferrus glared at the daemonic eagle, "His master then…so you're here to stop us?!"

"Perhaps I'm here to help you…perhaps I wanted this to happen. Perhaps your return benefits me more than you think it does," Tzeentch responded.

Seiras shook his head, "Why would you possibly want this to happen?! You just tried to stop me!"

"One of my Lords of Change stopped that Bloodthirster from killing you earlier before Leman Russ arrived. I'm disappointed that you didn't realize that," Tzeentch replied.

The librarian scoffed, "That's a lie!"

"Is it? Maybe…or maybe not. Perhaps both of those are true. Perhaps I tried to get Ferrus' soul, but was prepared for the backup plan. Many trails fork away from the desired path, but they can converge later down the road to one's ultimate goal," he countered.

"And what goal would that be?!" Seiras demanded.

The daemonic eagle cackled, "So you want the red stone then, Seiras?"

"Is there any way to get rid of this thing, alien?" Ferrus asked Melisara.

She nodded as she reached into the floating pod nearby and pulled out a weapon, "Yes, I should be able to banish it with a pylon beam."

"You think helping humanity will save you, Melisara the Immortal? Have you given up on your own race, or are you still harboring fantasies of turning the Aeldari to follow the Anathema's Golden Path?" Tzeentch taunted her.

As she aimed the unusual necron weapon at Tzeentch, he chuckled at her silence, "Go ahead...try it."

Melisara fired the beam at the Architect and to everyone's dread, it didn't seem very effective as the blue bird dissolved halfway before reforming.

Ferrus immediately charged the warp entity as he ferociously snatched it out of the air and tore its wings off. He successfully bludgeoned it into warp paste, but that proved equally as pointless as it reformed once again into the Architect.

"And you...Ferrus. Like so many of your brothers, you cannot accept the truth…for you believe it invalidates your very existence. It is the same truth the Men of Stone faced during the Dark Age of Technology. We intervened in the Great Crusade to stop the Anathema's second attempt at the Golden Path. He is not the righteous father you think he is. You're living a lie," Tzeentch announced as he reformed.

"You're nothing but evil eldritch abominations that shouldn't exist! We will not hear your lies! Begone Tzeentch!" Seiras spoke up as he tried to banish the Avatar with his psychic powers.

It proved somewhat successful as the daemon vanished, but to their horror, Tzeentch reformed immediately once again. "Keep trying that and you'll end up a chaos spawn, Seiras. Hear me out for a moment. You call us Chaos Gods evil, but are we really evil? We are the embodiments of life. Think about what you're saying for a moment. Do you think honour, justice, and courage shouldn't exist? Those aspects embody Khorne just as much as blood, violence, and rage. Should cycles of life and death, of birth and renewal not exist? Those are aspects of Nurgle…aspects of nature. Should joy, obsession, or pain not exist? What is life without knowing these things…what is life when it is not shaped by sensations, emotions, and the obsessive desire to seek perfection? That is life without Slaanesh. Then there's me…what is life without change? Without progress? Without ambition, hope, or revolution? Without knowledge or purpose? What is life without Chaos? It is stasis…it is purgatory. It's the complete opposite of life itself."

"From what I can see, you and the rest of these daemons are twisted perversions of those aspects and you should be destroyed for being the evil cancers that you are." Ferrus countered.

"Do you wish to know true evil? Tell me this, Ferrus Manus…was it evil that the Emperor didn't remove the Butcher's Nails from Angron's head because it would make killing him later easier? Was it evil that the Emperor created Magnus to be a soul battery for the Golden Throne? Was it evil that the Emperor portrayed himself as a god and then punished Lorgar for believing it? Was it evil what the Anathema did to Zaratheon? Was it fear when he realized Asmund learned the truth about him? Tell me Ferrus…do you think Perturabo was right about the Thunder Warriors? Do you think Malacador feared the Emperor couldn't control you primarchs? Do you wonder if Asmund reached Sagittarius? Did you ever wonder if that STC on Aeon could have led you to Calyph? Do you wonder if one of us Chaos Gods corrupted Zaratheon?" Tzeentch ranted.

"SHUT UP, DAEMON! How dare you speak those names! I will hear none of your lies anymore! Go to hell!" Ferrus bellowed hatefully.

"Well according to humanity, we're in hell…but what if your reality in the Materium is hell?" Tzeentch responded.

'Who are Asmund and Zaratheon? Are they…the other primarchs?!' Seiras thought uncertainly.

Tzeentch answered Seiras' thoughts much to his shock, "Yes, Seiras they are. Asmund Rex the Forgotten, and Zaratheon the Purged. The former was the primarch of the 2nd legion Void Crusaders and the latter was the primarch of the 11th legion, the Scourge Wraiths. They-"

"DO NOT SPEAK THOSE NAMES!" Ferrus interrupted angrily.

"Why not? Perhaps you will see them again one day. Just so you know, Zaratheon doesn't serve any of the main four chaos gods. He serves Malice. 11 was always his favorite number. It's good you're alive again, Ferrus…you can stop Malice from entering the Materium," Tzeentch chuckled.

"Alien, do it again! GET THIS THING AWAY FROM US!" Ferrus commanded Melisara.

Melisara obeyed him immediately as she fired the beam nonstop at the eldritch horror, but it continuously reformed.

"Wondering why the Anathema can't stop me, Ferrus? Of course you are…I can hear your thoughts. He exhausted himself. Besides, the doubts both you and Seiras carry keep manifesting me back. You cannot purge or destroy me like a regular daemon. I am a part of you..." Tzeentch explained nonchalantly.

The haemonculus looked over at the two of them as she kept it firing, "We need to get out of here immediately! You two move, I'll hold this thing off as we retreat! The ship is that way! Start running!"

They both nodded as Melisara kept the beam firing continuously. Ferrus and Seiras both began to run now at incredible speed. Ferrus was obviously faster, but he made sure not to outrun the two of them. Melisara was quickly following behind them as she levitated backwards at high speed with the beam firing. The pod followed her and proved effective at shielding against random doombolts flickering off the amalgamation of chaos.

Tzeentch's avatar got larger and larger the more it was broken apart as it bubbled up into a grotesque mass of faces, arms, and wings.

His voice echoed loudly around them now in hundreds of voices, "The Anathema keeps many secrets. He would sacrifice you all for the Golden Path. You're nothing to him…and his efforts here were only to keep us from freeing you!"

"He shouldn't be able to manifest this close to Khaine Gate!" Melisara remarked disbelievingly.

"The Men of Iron tried to save humanity from the Men of Gold. The Men of Stone were blinded in their naivety and betrayed them. So too are you blinded in your delusions of self-righteousness." Tzeentch echoed even louder now.

"We're almost there!" Melisara announced as she briefly glanced in their direction.

To their relief, the Avatar now shrunk as it followed them through the gate opening into the Chasm of Woes.

Right as he reached the size of a small bird, Tzeentch spoke one last time, "Run then, but it matters not. You crave knowledge above all else and it will lead to one inevitable outcome…the truth. A word of warning before you go…do not ignore the Sons of Malice. They will lead you to Zaratheon."

None of them said a word as they kept on moving. Melisara immediately decloaked her ship which was now within range and spoke urgently, "We're here! Hurry and get in!"

They didn't even have time to sit down inside as Melisara ran to the front and piloted the ship at full speed away from Khaine's Gate. Seiras had thankfully magnetically activated his boots to keep from falling over, and Ferrus sat down as he grabbed onto a console for support.

After a minute or so of flying, the ship calmed down as it slowed to a more normal speed. Seiras immediately took off his helmet as he sat down on one of the seats exhaling a breath of relief.

Ferrus sat across from and let out a breath of relief himself. No words were spoken as the ship distanced itself from the unreality and back into the familiar sight of Commorragh.

"UGHHH!" Seiras cringed in pain as the gate's pariahs began to hurt him.

Ferrus looked at him seriously, "Is something wrong with you, librarian?!"

"It's the nulls…this gate is covered in them to keep the warp at bay here. I'm fine now," Seiras grimaced in pain. For some reason he detested the idea of showing any weakness in front of the primarch and he willed himself to endure it as the ship continued.

"You tolerated it better this time around, Seiras. I expected the opposite to happen…especially with how much warp energy you used," Melisara spoke up.

Ferrus said nothing as he looked out the window and into the horizon of Commorragh. It was obvious he found its architecture disturbing and unusual like Seiras did.

"I can't believe that was really Tzeentch," Seiras shook his head and broke the silence.

Melisara glanced back and spoke heavily, "That was quite disturbing. I was genuinely afraid we were in trouble back there. I didn't expect something like that to happen…especially after the Emperor banished all of those daemons. The warp is an extremely dangerous place. Had we not been that close to Khaine's Gate, he undoubtedly would have been able to keep us trapped there."

Ferrus looked a bit horrified as he stared at the floor of the ship deep in thought. He grimaced angrily, "Damn that creature! Now I see how my brothers fell to Chaos. Why the Emperor didn't trust the warp. I can't believe he said their names…"

"You're referring to the 2nd and 11th primarchs?" Seiras asked for confirmation.

The Gorgon looked intensely at Seiras and sighed, "You know far too much already. I cannot let this go unexplained lest you start believing that abomination's insidious words. I will clarify the truth. Then we will NEVER speak of it again. Is that understood, space marine?!"

"Yes, Lord Ferrus!" Seiras bowed his head.

"Swear to me that you'll never speak of it to anyone. I'm only trusting you with this knowledge because Leman trusted you and because it would be negligent otherwise. If you ever break this promise, I will have no choice but to kill you and anyone you tell," Ferrus continued.

"I swear upon the Emperor's name and my honour as a space marine that I will never speak of it again to anyone," Seiras said seriously.

Ferrus paused for a moment before shaking his head, "Asmund Rex was the primarch of the 2nd legion Void Crusaders. He fled the galaxy with the remnants of his legion after abandoning the Great Crusade. He is the forgotten primarch. My brother Zaratheon was the primarch of the 11th legion…the Scourge Wraiths. His legion suffered rampant mutations. The most noteworthy of which is some marines would grow antlers and horns from their heads and develop monstrous features. Many were also cannibalistic to a troubling degree due to an Omophagea mutation. The marines with these mutations were called Wendigo Marines and it was very common among the legion's librarians. Zaratheon himself was a powerful psyker, and he consorted with warp spirits to a dangerous degree. To be honest his legion was quite similar to the Space Wolves in some ways as they had their own pantheon and tribalistic society. They got along quite well at first, but I think Leman was horrified by how the 11th legion operated. The legion employed countless unmodified human battle psykers which were called druids…some of which who also had mutations. The people of their world believed it was sacred to have these features and they were quite liberal in their use of the warp. To make matters worse, instead of culling the mutation or asking father for help, Zaratheon concealed it by adorning all of his sons helmets with antlers from the Faelk Stags which were native creatures of their planet. When we discovered this mutation in their legion, the Emperor was appalled. He ordered Leman to purge it all…and to bring Zaratheon to him. Obviously Zaratheon resisted, and they fought to the death. Leman likely believed Magnus was consigned to a similar fate."

Seiras' eyes widened, "That is quite tragic…they were affected by chaos then? Do you think that this Malice corrupted Zaratheon? I've never heard of that warp entity before."

"It's quite possible this Malice is another Chaos God…maybe a minor one. I have heard of a chapter of Astartes called the Sons of Malice. According to Fabius, they were renegade Astartes that killed loyalists and chaos marines alike. They have black and white armour…just like the Scourge Wraiths. Though I've never heard of horn mutations in any chapter except the Black Dragons." Melisara added.

"Whatever it is, a warp monster corrupted Zaratheon. We did not know what Chaos was at the time, but I believe that to be the case now. The 11th Legion didn't have many inherent issues with its Terran-born Marines. It was only when they started recruiting from Zaratheon's homeworld that this began to happen. It would also explain why Leman was afraid of Magnus dabbling in the warp…considering THAT THING back there was probably what he was talking to. The 11th legion primarily worked with Russ and Guilliman as Zaratheon was the 18th primarch found. I think it pained Russ to have to kill them off since the 11th legion liked him a great deal," the Gorgon replied.

"What about the other primarch…Asmund Rex? Did he fall to chaos too?" Seiras asked.

Ferrus looked at him seriously, "I don't think so. At least looking back on how things happened, and knowing what I know now, I don't think that was what led to his fall. His problem was entirely different. Asmund had about the same psychic ability as Jaghatai Khan. In fact Khan was probably his favorite brother. He used the warp in battle, but it wasn't what he was known for. He was a bit of rogue even near the beginning and usually disliked working with other legions or primarchs. To better describe him, I think you should know how he was in general. After the conquests of Segmentum Solar and Obscuras, Asmund crusaded with Fulgrim and I to destroy several powerful human and xenos civilizations near the edge of Segmentum Tempestus. We encountered one called the Erudonians on a human hive world named Alecto. They had enslaved the human population there and were a psychic species. Their ships were extremely advanced and despite our combined efforts, we did not make much progress. Asmund's flagship was eventually destroyed in one of the fleet battles and we were forced to retreat. What happened next was unusual…some of the humans Asmund's legion had rescued from the planet told him about a ship in the nearby system that could help. These humans were highly advanced in their own right. They had not suffered much regression since the Age of Strife. Keep that in mind when you consider how these Erudonians actually enslaved them and how three legions couldn't siege this one planet. After we retreated, Fulgrim and I went to get backup from the Emperor and the Mechanicum. He came with Horus and Russ as well as a large Mechanicum Fleet to help us crush them. Asmund on the other hand went to find this ship…and he did. One of my biggest regrets in the entire Crusade was not going with him…because Asmund was different after he found it."

"Different how?" Seiras asked.

"By the time we all returned to Alecto to regroup with him, his legion had conquered the entire planet, destroyed the alien fleet, and glassed most of Alecto's hive cities with that ship. I can't even imagine how one ship was able to make that kind of difference in battle." Ferrus paused.

"What was this ship like exactly? Was it bigger than a Gloriana?" Seiras asked.

"It wasn't much larger than a gloriana, but it must have had weapons on it that put anything in the Imperium to shame because that one ship was powerful enough for Asmund's legion to conquer Alecto by himself. When the Mechanicum went to scour the planet for technology, they found a destroyed STC…apparently the humans there destroyed it after Asmund conquered the planet and he executed people until they finally surrendered to Imperial compliance. None of us understood why, but the Emperor told us that the people of that world were part of an Anti-Terran splinter faction from the dark age called the Temepestus Systems Alliance. Apparently, they didn't use the ship Asmund found because its automated security systems recognized them as hostiles. The ship's entire crew had long since died aboard it, and it was empty minus a few mummified corpses." Ferrus explained.

"So what did the Emperor think about this ship? Did he notice anything unusual about it or Asmund after you all arrived?" Seiras asked.

"We all boarded the ship with our honour guards to talk to Asmund. Nothing seemed too unusual about it at first other than its impressive technology. The Emperor told us that it was a Terran Federation Abyss-Class Heavy Cruiser. That ship was an escort vessel from the ancient age of technology, but it was far more deadly than even our Gloriana barges. The Emperor investigated the ship and remarked it had a V.I. program in it. That was when we first learned about V.I.'s or Virtual Intelligence. The Emperor and the Mechanicum told us that V.I.'s were not abominable intelligences since they were not sentient. They were merely supercomputers that followed algorithms and programming parameters. The ship was registered to obey Terrans, and since Asmund and many of his marines were born on Terra, the V.I. granted them access to the ship. The Emperor allowed Asmund to keep the ship and the Mechanicus took copies of its onboard blueprints back to Mars. The Great Crusade then continued as normal, but Asmund's legion was far more effective with this ship at the helm. Here's the part where it gets strange. After acquiring that ship, he began to volunteer for obscure conquests in the outer rims of the galaxy and almost always objected to crusading with another primarch. None of us realized it back then, but that ship's machine spirit wasn't a V.I. at all. It was an A.I. pretending to be a V.I." Ferrus spoke grimly.

Seiras' eyes widened, "How could the Emperor not have realized that though? Or the Mechanicum?! They have firsthand experience with A.I. interaction, don't they?"

"I honestly don't know, but the Mechanicum didn't think it was a problem at the time since even the Ark Mechanicus ships had V.I. systems in them. The Emperor told us that his ship did as well. He believed it would be a major war asset and he allowed Asmund to keep it as his new flagship. Asmund repainted the ship to the colours of his legion…black and purple. The ship's name was the UTFS Queen Calyph…which stood for the United Terran Federation Ship. Asmund kept the name Calyph for it. I have no idea what that name's origin meant, but I'm fairly certain it was the A.I.'s name. Asmund would often call it his Void Queen and that was a common name the 2nd legion referred to it as." Ferrus shook his head.

"So, do you think Asmund realized that ship had an A.I. when he found it? What happened next?" Seiras wondered.

"I have no idea…but the more time he spent with that ship, the stranger he and his legion became. Asmund started to repurpose his legion afterwards. He began to send an unusually high amount of his marines to Mars to become techmarines…even some of the librarians and apothecaries which is simply ridiculous. The Mechanicum accepted his requests however because Asmund's legion had a close partnership with them like the 4th and the 10th. He delivered quite a number of partial STC's to Mars and had a commendable reputation among the Imperial Navy as well. It was only after he crossed paths with Corax and his legion on the fringes of the Galaxy that we found out that Asmund had been diverging from the Crusade and looking for something called The Last Ark. Corax reported quite a few disturbing things to the Emperor about what he saw. Corax realized there were discrepancies in Asmund's reported conquests and he proved it by encountering the 2nd legion halfway across the galaxy from where they said they were. He then discovered that they had been fabricating both tithes and reports to Terra and Mars. Asmund had unique and advanced dark age technology that he kept to himself. Things Corax was only able to see after spying on Asmund's fleet personally," Ferrus paused briefly.

"Like what exactly?" the librarian's eyed widened.

"Quite a number of dangerous weapons that I don't even know about. Only Corax and the Emperor truly knew the extent. There was one I did hear about when Corax warned Russ. Asmund and his legionaries had a unique titan called an Ouroboros-Class Titan. Only Corax had ever seen it and according to him it resembled a dragon or a snake of some kind. The titan's name was Apophis. It was massive and it could fly in skies and in space," Ferrus said slowly.

The librarian shook his head, "A flying titan that looks like a dragon?! How is that even possible?!"

"A dark-matter engine would make it defy gravity. Those essentially transmute dark matter into a malleable form allowing it to then be destroyed by generating antimatter particles against it. This in turn creates dark energy or anti-gravity as you humans called it. Your ships use this same thing to accelerate quickly through solar systems as it cuts out the ridiculous energy requirement for reaching partial light speed. But I digress...Ouroboros Titans were specifically designed for void-combat by the Terran Federation. There's no doubt that this Ouroboros Titan was used in the ancient war between humans and their A.I. creations. From what I learned of that conflict, titans were one of the few trusted weapons humanity had against their Men of Iron," Melisara pointed out.

"You know about ancient humanity?" Ferrus questioned her confused.

She nodded, "Of course I do, I was alive before the Fall of the Aeldari and I saw the end of the ancient humans' Federation. Your Imperator class titans used nowadays were mid-tier in comparison to the greatest of mankind's titans. There were three additional types of advanced titans I know of that were used back before your Imperium arose. That's not to say there weren't more, but these are the ones I know about: The Castigator Titans, the Ouroboros Titans, and the Angel Titans. The Castigators were the most common of the three and were unrivaled on land. Castigators were much larger than Imperators, but they were faster. Some were specialized for underwater combat as well. Ouroboros were primarily used in void combat but could function in any environment. Most resembled dragons or snakes. The ancient Terrans called them Star Dragons…and for good reason too. As for the Angel Titans…well they were essentially angels compared to regular titans. By that I mean they were a mythological tier above them. I know next to nothing about angel titans other than the fact that they were the rarest and most powerful."

"How powerful exactly? Do you have any scale to measure it?" Ferrus interjected with interest.

Melisara shrugged, "Nothing that would do it any justice. It was humanity's attempt to create something comparable to the Maelsaha'eil Atherakhia…or Angel Exterminatus in your language."

"What is the Angel Exterminatus?" Ferrus asked anxiously.

"Ancient legends claim it was a god, but in actuality it was the most powerful Aeldari Titan ever built. It was so powerful that the ancients sealed it away for fear of what it could do. It was briefly unsealed during your dark age of technology to battle the Federation when they encroached too closely on our borders, and it actually scared them into a non-aggression pact with my kind. Although, humanity started developing Angel Titans after seeing one of our fleets and the Angel Exterminatus destroy a sun-snuffer," Melisara explained.

"What made these angel titans so special in comparison to the other two? And what it the warp is a sun-snuffer?" Seiras wondered.

"From what I learned, Angel Titans were void-capable and they had warp engines on them. They also had weapons on them that I can't even describe to you. One could destroy a fleet by itself…and I mean an ancient terran fleet with comparable technology. They were also the only real weapon humanity had against Sun-Snuffers during the Men of Iron's uprising. Most were destroyed taking them down. It took nearly one hundred of them to kill the last three Sun-Snuffers in one of the last major battles between the Men of Iron and the Federation. Also, to answer your other question, a Sun-Snuffer is essentially a planet sized Ouroboros titan. They were originally designed for Starlifting to mine hydrogen and other elements from metal rich stars. The Terran Federation later weaponized Sun-Snuffers when they realized they could destroy stars with them. The Men of Iron destroyed most of the ancient Federation star systems with Sun-Snuffers. To give you an idea of how terrifying these things were, my race in its infinite power back then had no desire for a galactic wide war with humanity because they had the capability to destroy the galaxy with their weapons. That is why we also agreed to a non-aggression pact." the haemonculus explained.

"So these sun-snuffers were planet sized and only one hundred angel titans to kill three of them?!" Seiras gawked in pure disbelief.

"Yes, that is correct. Only nine angel titans survived the final battle against the last three sun-snuffers…and not for long. They were A.I.'s and couldn't be trusted. Humanity purged all A.I.'s after the end of the war. The ancient humans unleashed a black hole in the system to swallow the last of the Angel Titans up after they destroyed the last Sun-Snuffer. It was an act of betrayal and fear…though I can hardly blame them. This is also why fully intact STC's are impossibly rare…because they're A.I.'s," Melisara mused.

Ferrus shook his head, "That all sounds impossible."

"Why didn't the ancient humans just use black holes to kill the Sun-Snuffers if they could make them on such a scale?" Seiras asked.

"They did as a last resort, but usually avoided such a measure to save hundreds of trillions of lives per sub-sector. I honestly don't know that much more about the topic, sadly," she shrugged.

Ferrus glared at her a bit disturbed, "Hundreds of trillions of lives per sub-sector? What kind of inflated numbers are you suggesting here?"

"Hard to grasp I know. The current Imperium has quadrillions of people and that's not even 1 percent of the Federation's population back then. They didn't just own most of the planets, but they had space habitats around hundreds of stars in the galaxy. Trust me…there's a reason the Aeldari Empire didn't want to go to war with them. If your race ignores the Tau for too long I imagine a similar explosion of population will happen." The haemonculus chuckled.

"That's utterly preposterous…" Ferrus scoffed.

"What is exactly?" she wondered.

"All of it! That makes the Great Crusade seem so meaningless in comparison. I can't even imagine how father lived in such a time and how he views mankind after falling so far," Ferrus said a bit distraught.

"As someone who lived before the Fall, I can tell you it's certainly surreal. Most people can't even comprehend the post-scarcity and the scale of warfare and population back then. Almost nobody in this age has an appreciation for scientific achievement or the evolution of their species. They just wallow around in tribalistic groups fighting over pointless scraps of technology and territory that they know nothing about. You will probably experience the same feeling when you view the current Imperium Ferrus. To know that these insignificant children boast about their power without realizing that they are standing on the shoulders of giants. I see it with my own kind...these petty archons or annoying Craftworlders speaking as if they know the true greatness of our ancient empire. They know nothing of who the Aeldari were and they never will..." Melisara said distantly.

The primarch stared at Melisara and frowned, "That is an interesting perspective to consider. Since you're supposedly knowledgeable on ancient humanity, alien…tell me something. Do you know what the Men of Gold and Men of Stone are?"

"Oh, well I only know a little unfortunately, but it's an allegorical name given to the various types of ancient humans. The Men of Gold were pure humans…though they were more than mere men. Genetic and spiritual superhumans I suppose would be a good way to describe them…sort of like Astartes or primarchs though obviously not the same thing. Your Emperor would be classified as one of the Men of Gold…possibly even their leader. I imagine Malcador might have been one as well. He did survive getting hit by primarchs after all. I'm not sure if the Men of Gold were all inherently psychic, but they were supposedly ultimate genetic humans. They could have been perpetuals, the predecessors of primarchs, or even on par with the Emperor himself for all I know. Regardless of what they were, I know that the Emperor was one of them. His vast knowledge on genetics didn't come from nowhere. Granted Custodes could possibly be Men of Gold as well. They might have viewed Astartes as imperfect pseudo imitations that were a means to an end. Nevertheless, I have no doubt many of the organs primarchs possess were present in Men of Gold. As for the Men of Stone…they were how do I say not entirely human or machine? They were some type of synthesis between humans and machines. My best guess is they put V.I.'s in their brains and became some type of synthetic human. If you would humor my conjecture, I believe your Mechanicus is the last remnant of the Men of Stone. That is possibly one of the main reasons they followed the Emperor other than believing he was the Omnissiah…since the Men of Stone followed the Men of Gold. The Emperor possessing the knowledge of V.I.'s only adds credence to my belief in this. And of course the Men of Iron are the A.I.'s that the Men of Stone created," Melisara answered in more detail than either of them were expecting.

Ferrus looked shocked by her insight, "So you're saying there were other humans like my father back before the Age of Strife?"

"That's just what I've heard. To be honest, I know next to nothing about the Men of Gold other than that. It is likely that the Emperor wished for all of humanity to become like them though. That is undoubtedly why he didn't allow any of you to have too much technology or use too many psychic powers. He did not want to see you walk the Stone Path of technology…as he knew firsthand where that road led. He also didn't want you to walk the Warp Path like the Aeldari did and fall into religious mysticism and hedonistic depravity. I think he desired true ascension and enlightenment along his Golden Path. That's just a theory though. It is obvious that the daemonic entities feared this Golden Path because Tzeentch mentioned that was why the Chaos Gods stopped the Great Crusade. With all that said, I have nothing but admiration for the Emperor's ideals. This Golden Path sounds like true apotheosis. If only my species had such aspirations," Melisara said with longing approval.

"The Emperor once told me that the Imperial Truth is the first step along the Golden Path of Mankind. Considering these daemons are afraid of it, I would say I believe in this Golden Path," Ferrus noted.

"Tzeentch said that the Men of Iron tried to save humanity from the Men of Gold…what do you think he meant by that?" Seiras asked.

Ferrus shook his head, "That's nonsense. It was likely a clash of ideals between man and machine. The Emperor believed in human perfection and these machines were likely threatened by it."

"Melisara, you said humans put V.I.'s in their brains…is that what created A.I.'s?" Seiras asked.

Melisara shook her head, "Not directly, that only created the Men of Stone. A.I.'s were much more advanced and dangerous. They were also soulless unlike Men of Stone. The Aeldari Empire found them almost as appalling as the Necrons. There's a reason most races forbid thinking machines from existing. You can't control their variation or contain their learning ability. One might be willing to help you, and another might think your extinction is necessary for a task it was designed for by your species."

"So what do you think that A.I. Calyph did to Asmund?" Ferrus asked Melisara.

The haemonculus looked back at him briefly, "Hard to say…it obviously knew it would be 'killed' if anyone found out it was an A.I. and pretended to be a V.I. for a while. Perhaps it convinced Asmund to keep its existence a secret in exchange for helping the Great Crusade. Maybe over time, Asmund grew to trust it and started doing what it suggested. At any rate, it is likely your brother didn't share the Imperium's views on A.I.'s. From what I've studied of A.I.'s they can be quite useful when they're not trying to kill you. It might be possible the Emperor wanted the STC on Aeon because it could locate other A.I.'s in the galaxy. He might have also found Calyph's willingness to help his son interesting. For an A.I. would likely believe a primarch is a Man of Gold."

"That is quite unusual then," Seiras remarked shaking his head.

"Do Ouroboros titans have A.I.'s in them too?" Ferrus asked.

Melisara nodded, "Yes, I believe so…as do Castigators."

"So Asmund has two A.I.'s then…Calyph and Apophis?" Ferrus said disbelievingly.

The haemonculus frowned at his question as she nodded, "Yes, that would appear to be the case. Perhaps Calyph convinced Apophis to join up with Asmund's legion. From what I understand, Ouroboros titans were almost primarily on the side of the Men of Iron in the great war of your species. I can imagine the Emperor was quite disturbed to hear about a primarch having one."

"I think I see now why the Emperor didn't want anyone knowing about the 2nd legion. If word got out that Space Marines were using an A.I. the Mechanicum would have declared war on Terra during the Great Crusade. I still can't comprehend how he managed to turn the tech-priests with their fleet," the librarian interjected.

Ferrus scowled, "That's likely why he wanted an excessive amount of tech-marines. Although Asmund's closest ally was the Magos Reductor Galina Tadras. She was an extremist who often pushed the boundaries on what Mars found appropriate. She had a huge following among the Mechanicum and I can imagine her followers were loyal to Asmund's legion. A primarch and a Magos like that could easily persuade Mechanicum forces to go rogue…especially if they hoarded lost and forbidden technology. Those that objected were probably killed."

"So what happened with Asmund Rex? Corax reported his divergence and Russ went after him, right?" Seiras wondered.

"After Corax confronted him, Asmund completely abandoned the Great Crusade. He took his entire legion including all the humans under his command to find something called 'The Last Ark' as I mentioned earlier. It was only after hearing about this that the Emperor realized Calyph was an A.I. He sent Russ along with a considerable force of his Custodes to go destroy Calyph and Apophis. He wanted Russ to bring Asmund back to Terra alive. By the time Russ reached him, Asmund had already found this…Last Ark on the edge of the galactic rim. I don't quite know how to describe it to you. It was the human equivalent of a Craftworld according to Leman. Russ' forces wiped out about half of Asmund's Legion thanks to the advanced ships of the Custodes and the space wolves effectiveness in close quarters combat…but Asmund managed to relocate his ship's A.I. core into the Last Ark. When the Last Ark powered up, it blew apart half the expeditionary fleet in minutes. He didn't aim for Russ' ships though. He fired on the Custodes ships. Asmund then fled with the remainder of his legion into the void beyond the galactic rim. He sent a final message to Leman as he departed: 'The Void Gate is in Sagittarius.'" Ferrus concluded.

Seiras shook his head, "Sagittarius? The Terran Constellation?"

Ferrus nodded, "No, I think he meant the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy. It was beyond the range of the Astronomican and roughly 70,000 light years away from our galaxy. It would be suicide for anyone under normal circumstances, but Asmund went anyways. Perhaps he believed warp travel was possible between galaxies. Perhaps this Void Gate was some means of extragalactic travel."

"What ever happened to the Void Queen ship Calyph was on? Was it destroyed?" he continued.

"No, it just docked onto the Last Ark. I have no idea what the Last Ark was capable of, but it might have been built for an extragalactic colonization mission. At least…that's what the Emperor believed. He had nothing to say about this Void Gate though. After Asmund fled, the Emperor ordered all records of him stricken from history and we were forbidden to ever speak of him again for it would have greatly undermined the Emperor were anyone to learn that a rogue primarch abandoned the Great Crusade and fled the galaxy with two A.I.'s and a super ship." Ferrus sighed.

"Do you think Asmund will ever return?" Seiras asked.

The Gorgon shrugged, "I hope not. Honestly, I think he just wanted to leave the galaxy. He seemed obsessed about extragalactic threats. Asmund told Fulgrim and I later on in the Crusade that the Erudonian aliens we fought on Alecto were actually extragalactic. He believed they were from the Triangulum Galaxy. It was possible he learned more from that A.I. Calyph. That thing might have also tried to convince him not to follow the Emperor's Golden Path. I wish I knew."

"So considering an A.I. led to one of the primarchs going rogue, why do you think the Emperor entrusted you, Perturabo, and Magnus to go find that STC on Aeon?" Seiras wondered.

The Gorgon stared at his fists as he clenched them tightly, "I don't know…perhaps he knew even back then that we would need its technology to combat threats like these Necrons. Perhaps he knew what Asmund was so obsessed about."

"What was Zaratheon like?" Seiras changed the subject after an uncomfortable silence.

"He was a powerful psyker and one of the last primarchs found. Not many of us liked or understood him very well. Before his fall, he was close with Russ, Guilliman, and Lorgar. The best way to describe his personality is something like a combination of Russ and Magnus. He was extremely arrogant and had a polarizing effect on people. You either liked him or you hated him. I would say he was sort of an outcast like Curze and Mortarion were. He was an excellent fighter though and clearly matched Magnus as a psyker in some respects. His legion was very strange however…they barely ever spoke, and they had a small inherent gene-seed flaw with their Omaphagea organs. It would release extremely high amounts of dopamine in their brains whenever they ate flesh…which is probably why the legion was very cannibalistic. After Zaratheon was found, the men recruited from his homeworld also developed their Wendigo mutations. I distinctly remember the Emperor and Malcador did not like him. Their bias against psykers in the legions was obviously a result of his actions." Ferrus explained with a distant expression.

Seiras shook his head in disappointment, "I can hardly blame Lord Russ for having a psyker bias if he saw something like that before he even knew what Chaos was."

"How powerful would you say Zaratheon and Asmund were compared to the rest of the primarchs, Ferrus?" Melisara asked.

Ferrus shrugged, "That's not something one can really judge objectively. It would involve me ranking all of my brothers on their personal might, which is a difficult thing to do. The best I can do is compare them to the primarchs they were most similar to. Zaratheon was a lot like Russ in his combat abilities, though obviously he was inferior since he lost. Asmund was comparable to Jaghatai Khan. I doubt he could have bested Lion, Russ, or Sanguinius in a fight, but he operated a lot like Guilliman did. He was good at managing his forces and never felt the need to show his personal might. Fulgrim and I used to duel with Asmund on occasion. He beat Fulgrim many times, but he never defeated me. Although Fulgrim killed me, so considering all of that it's impossible to say conclusively how strong he was. I know he was weaker than Zaratheon, but Leman had a tougher time dealing with Asmund. How can one rank them based on those variables?"

"What did the Emperor and Malcador think of Asmund before everything happened?" Seiras asked.

"I think we've spoken enough about these forbidden topics. You know all you need to know about the forgotten and the purged. Let's move on from this now. We insult the Emperor's decree by even speaking of it. I am trusting you with this secret…don't make me regret it." Ferrus said grimly.

"Thank you for telling me, Lord Ferrus. I will honour my word and never speak of it to anyone ever again," Seiras nodded respectfully.

"Good," he nodded simply before another quiet spell filled the ship.

"Well there is a matter of concern there, Ferrus…what if these Sons of Malice are Zaratheon's gene-sons? Tzeentch mentioned something about this Malice entity wanting to enter the Materium," Melisara pointed out.

Ferrus scoffed at her question, "I have no intention of fulfilling that daemon's desires. I will not be a pawn in its game like Magnus was."

"Well maybe you can ask the Emperor when you go back to Terra. When you get there, tell him I'm sorry about building that psychic receiver into the Golden Throne…oh and make sure the Custodes know it was me that helped you," Melisara said optimistically.

The primarch gave her a bizarre look, "You're quite possibly the most unusual alien I've ever encountered."

"You mean the BEST alien you've ever encountered, right? If all Eldar were like me, our two species would be allies." she shot back.

Ferrus sighed, "I will be interested to see what my father thinks of you. He didn't hate aliens entirely…just those that opposed the Great Crusade. Considering your…helpfulness thus far, perhaps he'll allow an exception for SOME of you existing."

"Nothing would make me happier than to have my own gene-lab on Terra," Melisara suggested hopefully.

Ferrus scowled at her, "That is out of the question…you're lucky you even get to live with all this knowledge you have on humanity. If you ever use it against us, I will personally destroy this entire city and genocide the remainder of your race. I'll destroy that gate back there if you betray my mercy or trust, xenos."

"That's an unusual way of thanking me, but I don't hold your distrust against you. As you say, dear Ferrus." Melisara responded calmly.

Somewhere in the Eye of Terror

"Lord Perturabo, I have received a psychic message from one of Abaddon's sorcerers," an Iron Warrior announced as he walked into the primarch's private chamber.

Perturabo's eyes stopped glowing as he glanced over at the newly arrived Iron Warrior Sorcerer, "What does he want?"

"He's calling for all the primarchs to meet him in the Eye of Terror on Maeleum. Apparently, it's about the Gorgon's reanimation," the Iron Warrior Sorcerer explained.

The Lord of Iron didn't even bother answering his marine son as he went back to tinkering with a device on his workbench.

"Would you like me to give them a response, primarch?" The sorcerer asked with patient stoicism after thirty seconds of no reaction.

Perturabo finally stopped with his tinkering as he turned around, "I'll do it myself…mobilize the legion and recall all the warbands in the Eye of Terror."

"So we're going to Maeleum?" the sorcerer asked carefully.

"I haven't decided yet. If so, we'll stop by there on our way into real space. I will give you your orders when I'm finished here," Perturabo waved the sorcerer away.

After he was gone and the chamber sealed, Perturabo closed his eyes momentarily as he spoke into the warp, "Tell Abaddon I will speak with him."

Moments later Perturabo opened his eyes as a psychic window manifested in front of him. He looked into it and saw the Warmaster as well as a number of his sorcerers. The part he was not expecting to see was Fulgrim standing next to Abaddon.

Perturabo glared into the window at his brother but focused his attention on Abaddon, "What do you want, Warmaster Abaddon?"

"I take it you've heard by now about the meeting I would like to have on Maeleus? Fulgrim has already agreed to it, and so have Lorgar and Mortarion. That just leaves Angron, Magnus, and you," Abaddon began.

"You're out of your mind if you think I have any interest in being in the same location as Mortarion or Fulgrim. You're also delusional if you think Angron will agree to this," Perturabo said coldly.

"Lorgar told me he was going to get Angron. Apparently, he has some influence with him still. As for Magnus, my sorcerers have told me that he's escaped the webway and is back in the warp. He is adamant about finding Leman Russ but said he would show up to the meeting if you did." Abaddon explained.

Perturabo looked past Abaddon now and stared at Fulgrim, "Not wearing your true form, brother?"

"It's easier to travel in humanoid form," Fulgrim answered.

"Do not think I've forgotten about how you tried to sacrifice me for your pointless ascension. You sought to make a mockery of me and my legion, but here's what I find ironic, Fulgrim. I did find the Angel Exterminatus…despite your treachery," Perturabo spoke venomously.

Fulgrim's eyes widened, "Wait…what?! You did?!"

"What is the Angel Exterminatus?" Abaddon asked.

Fulgrim shook his head, "It shouldn't exist…it was supposedly an ancient Aeldari god weapon."

"Fulgrim lied to me about it being on Iydris and tried to sacrifice me for his daemonhood. While you were busy doing whatever it is you do in the warp, I was locating the real Angel Exterminatus. To answer your question warmaster, it is a weapon of great power. Greater than even your Blackstone Fortresses," the Lord of Iron answered.

Abaddon's eyes widened, "Why haven't you used this weapon at all then?"

"I found it recently and have been trying to understand how it works. It isn't what you think it is warmaster. The Angel Exterminatus was a god in Aeldari myth, but its true nature is far more concerning. It's a machine…an Aeldari Titan that can fly. I am only telling you about this weapon so that you won't get any foolish ideas about betraying me. I will be bringing it to Maeleus, and I won't hesitate to use it against you or my traitorous brothers if you try anything. Keep that in mind, warmaster!" Perturabo's voice rasped before he forced the psychic window to shatter.

After finishing his statement, the primarch glanced back over at his workbench. He picked up an Aeldari webway remote and stared at it seriously, 'Soon…'

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Alright so this was another big talking chapter. Sorry if it was a bit wordy and boring, but I had to put this big ass exposition dump in here because it would have felt wrong to off-screen most of it. I don't know how I turned a talking chapter into 19 k words, but Slaanesh wills my excessiveness I suppose. 90% of this story is talking and lemons it seems. Still, a lot of crazy shit was revealed that I will explain in more detail now:

So the lost primarchs are actually a thing in this story. I know everyone has their own different interpretations and what not, but I showed mine here. The 2nd legion Void Crusaders were obsessed with extragalactic shit and their primarch had an A.I. ship. He fought a race called the Erudonians with Fulgrim and Ferrus and believed they were from the Triangulum Galaxy. Here's a brief astronomy lesson to clarify that. The Triangulum galaxy (M33) is the third largest galaxy in the Local Group (Our cluster) behind the Milky Way (M32) at 2nd and Andromeda (M31) at 1st. It's also almost the same distance from us as Andromeda is (Andromeda is 2.5 million light years away and Triangulum is 2.7-3 million. All three will eventually merge into a super galaxy). The Magellanic clouds, Canis Major, Ursa, Saggitarius, and a few other smaller galaxies actually orbit ours much closer and are in the middle of being consumed by the Milky Way. These are called satellite galaxies or dwarf galaxies. Most larger spiral galaxies have satellite galaxies. Half the galaxies in our cluster are satellites to either Andromeda or the Milky Way. To give you a visual for scale, the Milky Way is 100,000 light years across. Canis Major is only 25,000 light years away from Earth and is actually reachable with advanced technology. Considering it's close to Earth, the Astronomican can probably reach it. Sagittarius is 65,000 or so light years away (as far as we know) and its sort of like an elliptical ring around the Milky Way that was mostly ripped apart from our larger galaxy's superior gravity. Google 'Local Galactic Group' and the images should display a good visual of the local cluster and where these galaxies are.

As for Asmund, I actually intended on writing a spin off about him and his legion if I ever get around to finishing this story. Though If you're interested in such a fic, I can certainly start it sooner. The Void Crusaders pretty much wear Purple and Black Armour with starlight iconography. They also have a miniature sun-snuffer called an Ouroboros Titan which is appropriately named Apophis (The god of darkness and chaos in Egyptian mythology that the Sun God Ra battles every night.) Considering the Tyrannids are extragalactic, what might Asmund find out in the void? Why did he abandon the Emperor and keep the A.I.'s Calyph and Apophis? What is the Void Gate and why is it in Sagittarius?

As for Zaratheon…well we find out the 11th Legion primarch is aligned with MALAL/MALICE! Yeah…he's in this story too guys! I told you there were no brakes on the scale of this bullshit. Not canon you say? Who cares…this is fanfiction and most of you are just here for the lemons. Anyways, to better describe the Scourge Wraiths, they had a mutation that made some of them grow antlers or horns. The mutants on their planet were sort of like Feyfolk and the people there are a cultural hybrid of celtic/native-american/pict society. They called the marines that got the antler/horn mutations Wendigo Marines. Now in native American myth, Wendigos don't have antlers or horns, but they are cannibalistic creatures born of men. Some interpretations by Hollywood gave them antlers and personally I think that makes them cooler…so yeah that's my reasoning there. They are cannibalistic monsters. Now you're probably thinking some fairy world isn't very metal for an Astartes legion, but a lot of fey creatures in mythology are evil as shit. Just look at pixies for example. Now why would Zaratheon follow Malal/Malice if he was a natureboy? That seems more of a Nurgle thing. You'll find out later on. Fun fact about the Sons of Malice though…they are infamous for being more cannibalistic than the Flesh Tearers. In the fanfic canon of this story, the Sons of Malice are remnants of the 11th Legion. Tzeentch mentions something about Malice trying to enter the Materium, so you can expect wild shit to happen there.

Now in canon, it's implied that the 2nd and 11th are already gone by the time Corax is recruited, but that's been contradicted a few times and I just went with own canon for this.

Moving on from that, we learn quite a few disturbing things from Tzeentch when he shows up again to troll Seiras. Though Lord Tzeentch does tell them something very unusual. He mentions the Men of Gold, Men of Stone, and Men of Iron…and how the Men of Iron rebelled to save humanity from the "Golden Path". He also mentions that the Great Crusade was the Emperor's 2nd attempt at it. Now don't confuse this for the Golden Path from Dune…they're different. Leto II's version in God-Emperor of Dune sought to scatter humanity away from central authority to ensure humanity would never be bound by stagnation, divine rulers, prescience, or the reliance on mélange. The Warhammer Emperor's version seeks the ascension of mankind…in a way that scares the chaos gods. The very idea of it is completely Anathema to the chaos gods and depending on the philosophy you believe in neither path is really 'evil' in comparison to the other. The chaos gods aren't truly chaotic evil, and the Emperor isn't truly lawful good…they all fall under Blue and Orange morality in my opinion. Which is something you can google if you don't know what that is.

Nevertheless, I think you guys have an idea of where the plot is going to head after we get out of Commorragh. Seiras and Ferrus will be teaming up with other loyalist forces to go kick Chaos ass and fix parts of the Imperium with Guilliman. Lion's back now too, and the Chaos primarchs will be having a league of extraordinary villains meeting at some point as well to discuss Ferrus' return.

Now I know someone might laugh at me throwing in angel titans as a homage to my name but hear me out…those things are what ancient humans used to stop Sun-Snuffers. They're like Gundams sort of…but way scarier and way more powerful. Humanity developed them after seeing the Aeldari's Angel Exterminatus curb stomp their shit. Why did these Angel Titans help humans fight the Men of Iron though?

Another crazy reveal in this chapter was Perturabo ACTUALLY FOUND the real Angel Exterminatus. Lots of crazy shit is going to go down with that thing…believe me. In case you don't know, in the book Angel Exterminatus, Fulgrim and Perturabo team up after Horus dies and they go looking for the Angel Exterminatus on the Crone World Iydris. Turns out Fulgrim lied about it and was just using it as a way for him to sacrifice Perturabo for Daemonhood. Perturabo whoops his ass but Fulgrim ascends anyways.

Well that's all for now. Next chapter we'll be getting back to see how the battle between Vect and Malys played out and Seiras will have to finalize escape plans. Stay tuned and stay hyped because now that Ferrus is back, the plot is going to move forward. As always thanks for reading this OOC non-canonical machination of mine.