Nonus: Much Ado About Something
The air was oddly quiet, and Magnus realized it was because the thunder of artillery had ceased. Silence was descending on the former battlefield, though there were still distant reports as the last pockets of Chaos on Reladon Quintus were stomped out. That had been what Magnus had been doing actually. He picked up the cloth covering from his slain son's corpse, and wiped off the power sword he'd acquired from the Blood Angles. He grimaced down at the body, then shook his head. He'd been too gentle with his gene children once already. No time for that now.
"I suppose I should be grateful," Magnus told the dead sorcerer. "I never knew you. Most of my children from the old days are dead now. At the end of this, I expect my gene seed shall be erased. Legio XV shall be scoured from existence. The price of my failure."
"It doesn't have to be that way, Magnus."
Turning, Magnus felt the same swell of hope he did whenever he saw Madoka. A goddess, a true deity, and one entirely free of corruption as far he could tell. Indeed, her greatest weakness seemed to be that she was too good, too innocent, and too apt to believe the best in people.
"I'm afraid it does, goddess. I know my sons. They have been utterly corrupted by chaos. My gene seed is tainted. I shall never father another line of astartes," Magnus told her. She looked so young, so delicate. And yet she was neither. The primarch wasn't sure if she was older than he, but after a few millennia, did it really matter? And she had taken a blow that would have reduced a mortal to ash with only a slight wound, and could reduce titans to slag with a single attack.
"There are others, you know," Madoka said, frowning down at the slain chaos psyker.
"Warbands? I know. They are all completely corrupted. Perhaps one or two may be saved. Ahriman I hope may yet be turned back. But not many."
"I wasn't talking about them," Madoka said quietly, causing Magnus to look to her in confusion. "We read much in the forbidden archives of knowledge of the Imperium. There are loyalist chapters from the gene seed of each of the traitor primarchs. Including you."
Magnus staggered, his heart torn open as emotional wounds he thought himself inured to wracked him with pain once more. "I...I have sons who...never fell?"
"Yes. They have been wracked by pain, but they still stand tall as some of the brightest lights in the Imperium," Madoka told him gently. "They are the Blood Ravens, the keepers of secret knowledge. You should be proud of them."
"Wait, those bloody magpies are MY sons?" Magnus demanded, taken aback. "I thought they...hmmm. Their battle cry is Knowledge is Power, Guard it Well. And they have an unusual number of psykers who are quite powerful. That...that makes sense."
"I can't completely confirm it, but the hidden archives we looked at said as much," Madoka told Magnus.
"You are going to have to tell me sometime where that library you perused is, because it seems to have an awful lot of information," Magnus said suspiciously, then waved that away. "But that's for another time. I would find my sons, Madoka, and, well...I don't know. Maybe they'd want to kill me, but to have a real family again…"
"I think it would be good for you," Madoka agreed. "I think I can get someone to help you with that too. She's been relieved from Guarding Eternity's Gate, and she was rather fond of the 'Bloody Magpies' as you called them. She likes treasure hunters and bold thieves. Which, well, they do seem a bit prone to lifting any treasure they find."
"Who? Aqua?" Magnus asked suspiciously. He was grateful to the blue haired goddess, but she struck Magnus as an idiot, and he had little patience for fools.
"Ah, no, I forget you haven't met the rest of us yet," Madoka said, giving a somewhat self deprecating smile that both humanized her and at the same time made Magnus wonder if she were toying with him. It was hard to break old habits, having been a Daemon Prince of Tzeentch. "Eris is the Goddess of Fortune. She's an old friend of Aqua's, but the two of them are rather different. Aqua is...well, she's a being of almost pure id. Eris is far more cerebral."
"So she's not a drooling moron?" Magnus asked, a faint smile on his lips, but he jerked back at Madoka's reaction, as the goddess glared at him and flitted over to stick a finger under his nose.
"First, Aqua isn't a moron. She's just rather specialized. And second, she's my friend, and she's the one who healed your mother, so be a bit more respectful."
"Alright, alright, I apologize! Anyway, this Eris... she can help me find my sons?" Magnus asked.
"Yes, but you really should talk to your mother first," Madoka said in a lecturing tone. "I'll support you, but you can't just run off and leave Sigmari all alone."
"She's got you and the Captain-General, she'd hardly be alone," Magnus grumbled, but turned his back on his slain son, and strode off towards the command bunker where the Blood Angels were redeploying.
Above the bunker stood the Imperator Titan Jus Bellum Justum, the pride and joy of the titan legion Indomindus. Before the titan were assembled many of the Imperial Guard regiments, along with the Blood Angles and the other adeptus astartes, as well as the various Imperial Commanders. Censer bearers from the Ecclesiarchy were walking up and down the ranks of soldiers, who were all wildly cheering for the glowing golden light that stood atop Jus Bellum Justum's cathedral.
"Come on, let's fly up there," Madoka said, and spread her wings. Magnus felt a little leery of doing the same, but he acceded, his own rainbow wings manifesting, and he took off into the sky.
The response from the crowd below was immediate: Upon seeing Madoka, the guard, astartes, and, to Magnus's shock, the Sisters of Battle in the ranks, all broke into raucous cheers, with loud prayers of thanks being offered to the Goddess of Hope. The priests were still trying to figure out just where Madoka fit into their religion, but obviously the fact that the goddess was real and an ally of the Emperor and had just helped save every living soul on Reladon made her an object of worship as well as one that was somehow, not Heresy.
Moments later, Madoka and Magnus alighted on the wide platform with the Empress, who had just finished giving a somewhat long, rambling speech about how she was going to retake Terra and reform the Imperium, and was very definitely not a goddess, but Madoka was, and if they absolutely HAD to worship her, that was fine, but really humanity had no need of gods or goddesses, and they definitely did not need to worship anyone and should stand on their own two feet.
THOSE IDIOTS AREN'T EVEN LISTENING. EVEN I CAN HEAR THEIR PRAYERS TO ME FROM UP HERE. AND WHY DO THEY INSIST ON WORSHIPING YOU, MADOKA. YOU TOLD THEM THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO, I TOLD THEM THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO, AND THEY'RE DOING IT ANYWAY!
"Maybe people just need something to believe in?" Kitten offered somewhat sheepishly.
"Gee, you think so?" Magnus asked, rolling his eyes as he folded his wings back into the warp. "It's almost like religion and belief systems are a fundamental part of the human psyche and attempting to repress that just results in problems. Like, I don't know, my idiot brother Logar."
EVEN THE SPACE MARINES ARE WORSHIPING ME NOW! The Empress ranted, pointing to the rows of Blood Angels and their successors, who were indeed kneeling and offering prayers to the Empress. DO THESE IDIOTS NOT HAVE FUNCTIONING EARS?!
"I mean, we did sort of fly around the world a few times and show off powers that I don't think really can be described as anything short of godlike," Madoka pointed out.
"And you blew up a titan with one attack, my liege!" Kitten pointed out helpfully. "Not to mention banishing hordes of demons at a word, and a miraculous resurrection. Those things are all, well, sort of god-like."
The Empress whirled to glare at Kitten. NOT YOU TOO.
"Oh! Well, I mean, I don't worship you are anything, my glorious overlord. I merely consider you to be the peak of what all of humanity should aspire to!" Kitten answered, sounding somewhat flustered.
EVEN THOUGH I'M A WOMAN FOR NOW?
"Well, especially that, as now you show that regardless of gender, anyone can become the enlightened ruler of all mankind! If, um, they were an immortal ultra powerful psyker that wasn't a god, but was just as powerful if not moreso!" Kitten hastily added.
The Empress glared at her caretaker, and Magnus let out a loud cough into his fist. WHAT? YOU HERE TO CRY ABOUT KILLING YOUR OWN CHILDREN? The Empress turned to Magnus, and he opened his mouth, only to let out a startled squeak when she suddenly hugged him.
"It hurts. I know it does. You might say it's not the same as my having to kill Horus, but you loved your legion. Enough to betray even me. This time, you stayed loyal. Thank you. I know it was hard."
Tears suddenly welled up in Magnus's eyes, and he closed them, resting his head on the Empress's power armor. "I...thank you, mother. This...you don't know how much I needed this, even after all these millenia. You know you never hugged me before?"
"Don't be such a pussy," the Empress growled softly. Well, for her. It came out at about the same timbre as a lion's growl. "Or I'll have Madoka turn you into a woman too."
Magnus laughed and separated from his mother, wiping at his eye. "Well, if it's made you go soft enough to acknowledge actual human emotions, perhaps I could do with a turn as a woman as well."
"I am so not doing that," Madoka sighed. "You realize if I do that, it's irreversible, right? The only reason it MIGHT not be that way for Sigmari is because she's close enough to a goddess to figure out a way to reverse it with enough time, right? Even then it won't be easy. Unless, you know, you ascend. The entire concept of gender is rather arbitrary for divine beings."
THEN WHY ARE YOU SEVEN GODDESSES INSTEAD OF THE SEVEN BEINGS OF QUESTIONABLE GENDER? The Empress demanded.
"Because we like being this way," Madoka said with a shrug. "But I think Magnus has something more important to talk to you about."
YOU CAN'T HAVE A PUPPY. YOU'LL TAKE CARE OF IT FOR A FEW WEEKS, BUT THEN YOU'LL GET TIRED OF IT AND I'LL BE THE ONE WHO HAS TO LOOK AFTER IT, AND KITTEN HAS ENOUGH TO DO WITHOUT NEEDING TO TAKE CARE OF A DOG.
"...but I like dogs," Kitten muttered, which resulted in Madoka giggling so hard she had to lean on the railing of the battle cathedral to keep from falling off.
"Actually, Madoka claims there is a loyalist chapter of Space Marines who bear my geneseed," Magnus said, trying very hard not to pout and argue that he could take care of a dog on his own, he was 10,000 years old, and he didn't need his mother's permission to get a pet.
WHAT? WHO THE HELL THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA? WHY WOULD WE GO MAKING SPACE MARINES OUT OF TRAITOR LEGIONS?
Anger rose in Magnus, and warp power crackled around him. "Lest you forget, this means I have sons that remain loyal to me, because I am certain I will have to kill every last one of the XVth legion."
FINE. MADOKA, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS LATER.
"We can talk about it now: I'm not telling you who they are unless you promise to be kind to them. They have served the Imperium long and loyalty. The Blood Ravens are just one example of this," Madoka said, folding her arms over her chest and glaring up at the Empress, who glared right back, literal sparks flying in the air between the two super beings.
"Um, my liege, the Blood Ravens, for all their obsession with knowledge and relics, are a loyal and storied chapter," Kitten said gently, coming to stand by the Empress. "Their actions during the Kronus Crusade were exemplary, even if they did clash with the Imperial Guard, and Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos has purged his chapter of all heretics. They are some of your most steadfast astares. And I say that as a Custodes: you know we are not overly fond of space marines."
FINE. IF YOU VOUCH FOR THEM, BANANA HELM, I SUPPOSE THEY MUST BE WORTH SOMETHING, the Empress agreed. WHY DO YOU TELL ME THIS NOW, MAGNUS?
"I would go to see my sons, and have them join you in your crusade," Magnus explained. "I know that relations with them might be...strained, considering what I was, but if there's one thing I've learned from you, it's that it's never too late to start being a good parent."
I WAS ALWAYS AN AMAZING PARENT, THE BEST IN THE GALAXY, the Empress snapped.
Kitten coughed, and Madoka rolled her eyes.
OK, I HAD MY MOMENTS, BUT I WAS A GOOD DAD AT THE END OF THE DAY.
"No, you weren't," Magnus said, meeting the Empress's gaze. "You rarely showed anyone, even your favorites, any love and affection, and when you did we had to earn it. You were cold, inscrutable, overbearing, and demanding. You always demanded perfection, never explained how we could attain it, and expected us to always know your plans even though you never bothered telling us more than the bare bones."
The air popped and crackled as fury wrote itself on the Empress's features, her eyes glowing golden, but then Magnus continued.
"However, since the installation of your Text to Speech Device, you've changed. Even more so after you were healed. You were a terrible father. Perhaps you can become a good mother. Here's your chance," Magnus said, stepping forward despite the display of psychic might.
The Empress cooled a bit, leaning back and scowling, but a golden aura still surrounded her. GIVING A KID WHATEVER THEY WANT DOESN'T MAKE YOU A GOOD PARENT. NEITHER DOES BABYING THEM.
"On that, you are correct. But giving me a chance to prove myself, to bring what amounts to your grandchildren to your side: now that would be giving me freedom, and purpose. And, if you want to think about this in a purely selfish way: think of the relics the Blood Ravens have. Won't those be useful?"
The Empress considered Magnus for a moment, then nodded. FINE. AND HOW ARE YOU GETTING THERE?
"Did somebody call for a treasure hunter? Because let me tell you, I just killed about 2000 demons, and I need a break."
The Empress turned to see yet another woman, this one with grey hair and purple eyes in a dark robe that bore a feathered mantle. The woman smiled up at the Empress, and there was a mischievous light in her eyes. "Hey there. I take it you're Sigmari, as you are CLEARLY not a goddess, despite the glowing golden aura of divinity about you."
NOW LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT, the Empress began, only to pause for a moment. She could sense awesome power about this woman, subtly different than the other goddesses she had met, but clearly divine in nature. HOLD ON. YOU'RE A NEW ONE. WHO ARE YOU?
"I am Eris, Goddess of Fortune," the woman replied, spinning her fingers and causing a gold coin to appear in her hands. "They call me the Divine Thief at times, but economics and trade are my primary domains."
ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU'RE THE GODDESS OF THE STOCK EXCHANGE?
"Among other things. Look, people care about money, and they care about trade. I ensure those go smoothly. And, well, if you're bold or lucky enough, maybe you can tilt things in your favor, eh? But fortune doesn't favor fools, and I certainly don't favor those who break oaths or cheat."
YOU SAID YOU WERE THE DIVINE THIEF THOUGH. DOESN'T THAT MEAN YOU BLESS CRIMINALS?
"Only certain kinds. I'm more into the Robin Hood types, though anyone who steals from the rich with cunning and wit has my backing. Violent criminals and thugs will face my wrath, but I do like a good confidence man or swindler as long as they don't actually hurt anyone or steal from those who can't afford it," Eris said with a shrug. "But if a noble or fat merchant gets squeezed? Well, that's part of the game. After all, they usually got rich by exploiting workers and loopholes themselves, so turnabout is fair play."
"Eris has a good heart. And, well, she's pretty lucky," Madoka said, coming over and smiling at her friend. "She's a good choice to help Magnus reunite with his sons."
ALRIGHT, BUT STAY AWAY FROM MY SON. I'M NOT HAVING HIM FALL FOR SOME FLOOZY.
Hearing that, Eris went bright red, and staggered away from the Empress. "W-what are you saying!? I'll have you know, I-I am a Maiden Goddess! I'm not some Pervert like Ristare or Hestia!"
"Hestia's not a perv, Eris," Madoka sighed. "Just because she gave up her status as a maiden doesn't mean she's some sexed crazed maniac."
Eris gave Madoka a flat look, and the other goddess relented. "Well, OK, she's a little sex crazed, but her sexuality is pretty single target. If you're not Bell, she's not interested."
"This brings up some really fascinating theological points, but I'm afraid we don't have time for that," Magnus said. He knelt down so that he was roughly on head level with Eris, and held out a massive red hand. "Greetings. I am Magnus the Red. I owe a great deal to Madoka, as well as Aqua and Ristarte. It is a pleasure to meet another being worthy of worship. And mother, don't you start."
IF MY IDIOT SON WANTS TO GET RELIGION AT HIS AGE, FAR BE IT FROM ME TO ENDLESSLY MOCK HIM. JUST DON'T BRING HOME ANY TRACTS, AND I WON'T HAVE TO BURN THEM.
"Wow. I guess De Nile really isn't just a river in Egypt," Eris commented as she took Magnus's hand.
Her words caused the Empress to do a double take. HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE NILE RIVER AND EGYPT? THOSE HAVEN'T EXISTED IN MILLENIA. AND DON'T TELL ME A LIBRARY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY A BOOK TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT STUPID PUN.
"Aqua and I used to work for another Pantheon that took young people from Earth and sent them to other worlds to act as Chosen Heroes," Eris said with a shrug. "I heard there was an Earth here, though you call it Terra, so I figured you would get the reference. Mostly we dealt with Japanese, but I met people from other nationalities as well."
THAT...RAISES SOME QUESTIONS. WAS THIS THE SAME EARTH AS I KNOW?
"Probably not, we would have known if a god like you was running around, even if they weren't calling themselves Sigmar or whatever," Eris answered. "Besides, Madoka is from another earth. She was Japanese when she was human. Anyway, let's get going, Magnus. I REALLY want to see what legendary treasures the Blood Ravens have acquired." With that, Eris took the hand of the gaping Magnus, even as the Empress voiced what they were both thinking.
WAIT, MADOKA WAS HUMAN?
But Eris and her charge were already gone, reappearing light years away.
"Ok, hold on a second. You goddesses used to be HUMAN?!" Magnus demanded as he staggered upright in the dimly lit space. It was painted in red tones, and had metallic floors and ceilings with iconography that indicated it was a space faring vessel of some sort, likely a Marine Battle Barge by the intricate scrollwork and details.
"No, just me, Rista, and Madoka. Satella was a half elf, not a human, and Athena spent a little time as a sort of human, but she's the daughter of Zeus so she doesn't really count," Eris explained. "But focus, we're going to have to be sneaky here. I put us in a part of the Omnis Arcanum with no space marines and only a few servitors."
"I...alright. But we need to talk about this later," Magnus hissed. Then he paused, standing up straight. "Wait, why are we sneaking?"
Eris rolled her eyes. "Because you're Magnus the Red, a traitor Primarch, and the only ones who know that YOU are the true Primarch of the Blood Ravens are the Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos, and Davian Thule, who is now a dreadnought. I can probably heal him given enough time, but I'm not sure if they would want that?"
"It would probably be best to ask first, yes," Magnus agreed. "OK. So we sneak to where Chapter Master Angelos is. Do you know where that is?"
"Nope, but I stole these schematics of the Omnis Arcanum, and it says that the Chapter Master's quarters are here. That's probably a good place to start," Eris said, holding up a piece of parchment that indeed showed the layout of the battle barge."
"Where, exactly, did you get these?" Magnus asked suspiciously as he studied the map.
"The archives of the Forge World where this was built. I'm lucky, so it was in the first place I checked," Eris said, winking and giggling.
"Very well. I suppose that makes sense. You goddesses are strange beings. Out of curiosity, how did you become a goddess?" Magnus asked, handing the schematics back to Eris, who tucked them into a sleeve of her robe.
"It's a long story, but basically I defeated an ancient Devil King of Belzerg when I was mortal, and a cult formed around me. I was pretty good friends with Aqua, who was the goddess in charge of that world. When she sensed a Divine Spark in me, she helped fan the devotion of my followers, and recruited me as my Senior Goddess."
"So...anyone can become a god?" Magnus asked curiously.
"No, obviously. Focus on what we're doing. I thought you were supposed to be smart. Come on, follow me. Lurk." Eris faded from Magnus's physical senses, but his psychic might allowed him to still detect the faint traces of Eris's divine aura. He wondered if the many librarians of the Blood Ravens would come running. He was somewhat veiled, but if Eris had used the warp to intrude onto the battle barge...no, it had an active geller field. She had used other methods. Magnus wrapped himself in a veil, and followed Eris out of the small compartment.
The two infiltrators dodged around the few servitors, and indeed had to hightail it when several Blood Raven Librarians, accompanied by battle brothers in armor, investigated the area, having sensed some sort of disturbance. They didn't seem overly urgent, merely curious, which made Magnus breath a sigh of relief. After several hours of sneaking and having to double back on dead ends, the Omnis Arcanum having undergone many repairs and refits during its life of service, they at least arrived at the doorway to the Chapter Masters quarters. Unfortunately, it was guarded by two marines of the Blood Raven's Third Company in terminator armor, that having been the ranks from which Chapter Master Angelos had risen from.
"I think I can take care of them, but be ready," Eris whispered. "If they detect me, I'll have to retreat. I'm not bad in a fight, but I'm no Madoka. And from what I've heard, space marine terminators can go toe-to-toe with a Greater Daemon, and I'm not nearly as good at fighting mortals as I am abominations."
"Right. I'll watch your back. There are too many librarians for me to risk using my warp powers openly," Magnus agreed. He studied the terminators, then turned back to Eris. "Now, how are you-" He cut off, and could only stare in shock.
"Hello, sirs, would you like to buy some Sisters of Battle Scout Cookies?" Eris asked sweetly as she walked up to the door. She had shrunk down to the size of a child, making her comically small next to the two terminators, and was now wearing a brown uniform with a bright green sash, showing a variety of colorful cloth badges on it, and had on a hat with the icon of the Sisters of Battle, only it was slightly cuter somehow, being made of fuzzy felt.
"How did you get here, little girl?" one of the terminators asked, as the other raised his thunder hammer.
"Oh, the servitors in the docking bay let me in! I'm raising money for my friends and I to go on a pilgrimage to Holy Terra, that we might see the shrines and relics there!" Eris said. Magnus blinked, realizing that everything she had said was, technically, true.
"Wait, brother," the first terminator said, raising a hand to forestall the one who had made to strike down Eris. "She has Do-si-Dos. Those are my favorite."
"Does she have Samoas? I love Samoas," the second asked, slowly lowering his hammer.
"Of course! I've also got Tagalongs, I hear those are the Chapter Master's favorite! I was hoping to sell him some," Eris burbled, holding up the boxes of cookies, which were in bright packaging that showed smiling girls in uniform doing various arts and crafts, purging heretics, selling cookies, burning witches at the stake, smiling with the Sisters of Battle while they prayed, and tossing Melta Bombs in xenos homes as the aliens screamed in terror.
"We really shouldn't while we're on duty," the first terminator rumbled, but he reached into his utility pouch and pulled out his wallet. "But what the heck. You're just too cute. I'll take two boxes of Do-si-Dos."
After both marines had bought their cookies, Eris encouraged them to try some. It didn't take much cajoling, and both marines popped a cooking into their mouths, chewing contentedly despite the fact that they had not removed their helmets.
"Ah, just as good as I remember. I could eat an entire box at one go," the second sighed.
"Brother, do you feel sleepy?" the first asked, popping another cookie in his helmet.
"I...I think I do." Then both marines slumped against the wall, and started snoring loudly.
"The good ole sleep potion in the Girl Scout Cookies. Works every time," Eris chuckled to herself as her disguise faded.
"You know I can't believe that actually worked," Magnus said, decloaking and coming to stand over the sleeping terminators.
"Eh, you'd be surprised. Come on, lift me up, I'll pick the lock." Magnus obliged, and a moment later, Eris had the complex mechanism open. Magnus and Eris hurried inside, closing the door behind them. Inside, they heard voices, chatting and laughing from the Chapter Master's mediation chamber.
"Now, no sudden movements, we don't want to scare them," Magnus urged. He tiptoed over, and peeked inside. What he saw filled him with unholy rage, and Magnus slammed the door open with the full might of his psychic powers.
"YOUNG MAN!" Mangus bellowed as Gabriel Angelos surged to his feet, reaching for his power sword and his companion dived for her own weapons. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? PLAYING MAGIC THE GATHERING WITH A FILTHY ELDAR!?"
"DEMON! MACHA, GET YOUR-" Angelos roared, but before he could charge or the Eldar Farseer could get her staff, Magnus had both of them pinned to the wall with invisible hands.
"He-he is too strong!" Farseer Macha gasped, struggling to even speak as Magnus stalked forward. "Gabriel, I will try to break us free, you must rally your men before-"
There was a blinding flash of silver light, and Magus was swept off his feet as both Gabriel and Macha fell to the floor. Eris stood between the three, glowing with silver light. "Ok, first off, what happened to 'we don't want to scare them?' Second, relax, that's just an elf, Magnus. It's not like she's a demon or undead."
"But she's not human!" Magnus raged, surging to his feet as Angelos picked up his sword, planting himself between the strangers and Macha, who summoned her staff to her hands. "What is she doing with my son!?"
"I mean, yeah, but elves are one of the OK species," Eris pointed out. "It's not like she's an orc or something."
"I am not an elf!" Macha snarled. "I am Aledari, a Farseer of Craftworld Biel-Tan, mon'keigh, and-"
"Oh, right, sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not really human anymore either," Eris said, turning around.
"Who are you, and what is this demon of the warp doing in my chambers?" Angelos snarled.
"I am your father, young man!" Magnus snarled, pointing a finger at the Chapter Master. "And I demand to know what my gene son is doing with an Eldar! And here I thought I'd find a group of loyal astartes, not a bunch of xenos loving traitors!"
"Gene son, but then-" Angelos paled, but raised his sword. "Macha. You must flee. This is Magnus the Red. He has discovered the truth I thought long buried. Warn my brothers. They must fight, or die, as-"
"Oh come off it, I'm loyal again. I got my soul back and everything. Unlike you, I serve the Empress!" Magnus barked.
"I will not abandon you, my love," Macha hissed. "I will fight and die-"
"LOVE?! LOVE!?" Magnus shrieked, and the warp bent around him as his wings sprouted and horns grew. "I shall-"
The door to the Chapter Master's chambers exploded inwards, and there was a cry of "DEMONS AND HERETICS WILL FALL BEFORE US!" as ceremite boots slammed into the floor.
"Right, we're taking this elsewhere. You ALL need a time out," Eris sighed, and snapped her fingers. When the Blood Ravens stormed into the room, they found only the scattered decks of Macha and their Chapter master on the ground, and no sign of them, or the intruders.
Authors Note:
Macha x Gabe is canon, fuck you fight me.