My Lord High Inquisitor,
I write to you in all haste, as a true servant of the Golden Throne and the God Emperor of Mankind. I realize that by the time this missive reaches you, you will have heard rumors of the events that have transpired upon Macragge these last few days. But I write to you now to tell you, my lord, of perilous news. News you will scarcely believe, but I swear to you, by the Bones of Him on Terra, my account is true.
My Lord, the Ultramarines, the proud Sons of Guilliman have turned against us. I do not know exactly how long the treachery had been planned, but there is no doubt of their heresy. They have turned from the God Emperor's light and now walk in darkness and treachery.
It began on the feast of the Emperor's Accession, in the Temple of Corrections itself. The Arch-Cardinal, himself was in the middle of a truly inspiring sermon when a miracle occurred.
The Primarch awoke.
My Lord I know it sounds absurd, but I witnessed it with my own eyes. I swear to you my Lord, on the God Emperor's bones, despite the crush grip of the Stasis Field, Roboute Gulliman's eyes opened, and there was understanding in them. The Arch-Cardinal, enlightened by the emperor as he was, turned and cried out for us to bow down and give thanks for the miracle, though in truth there was no need. What loyal subject of the imperium could possibly stand in such an august presence?
I am, as you well know, no psyker, but when the holy primarch's eyes washed over me, I felt something I have never felt before. A feeling that, even now I am hard pressed to describe, enlightenment perhaps. There was a tension in the air, akin to the still aura of oncoming battle or before the breaking of a storm.
At the time I thought of nothing of it, so enraptured by the miracle before me. With the benefit of hindsight, I know what it was, a warning. The God Emperor had sent the faithful a sign, a desperate alarm that all was not as it should be; and we, in our ignorance, did not understand or heed it.
But I digress, after a few moments, the primarch's eyes drifted shut and the weight of his gaze was lifted from us. The silence that followed was complete, and seemed to stretch for an eternity, although my chronometer reports that the time elapsed was only slightly more than a minute.
Then several things happened at once. An Ultramarine Librarian screamed something intelligible, and in response his brothers all stiffened, leveling their bolters at the crowd of the faithful. Their sergeant raised a hand to stop them, but at a hushed word from the Librarian lowered it again.
The Arch-Cardinal attempted to carry on with his sermon, but it lacked the weight it otherwise would have carried. Few were listening, for the crowd was equal parts awed and terrified. The greatest of the Primarchs had given us his divine approval. Our glorious faith had been validated beyond reproach. We did not know what to do with such a revelation. I admit to being quite overwhelmed at the enormity of it all.
It was then that the Chapter Master entered the room. He was running, a feat I had thought impossible in the heavy terminator plate he wore, and the sea of faithful parted around him as he moved, not that he noticed. He was flanked by the Ultramarines' Chief Librarian and the Captain of the First Company, as well as his honor guard and a Chaplain. The marines on duty in the hall swiftly came to attention and the Sergeant reported what had happened. Then to my surprise, the Sergeant pushed the Librarian who had screamed to the forefront of the conversation. The Chapter Master seemed surprised by this, but listened to what the two men reported.
They were too far away for me to hear what was said, but there can be no mistaking the tears that ran down the Librarian's face or the stunned expression on the Chapter Masters'. He hesitated for an instant, then it was as if a switch had been flipped. His face hardened and he began barking orders. In an astonishingly short amount of time, the assembled Ultramarines had forced the mass of worshipers, myself included, out of the hall. Anyone brave or foolish enough to resist was forced into submission by judicious application of boot or bolter. The Arch-Cardinal, the staunch defender of the faith that he was, refused to leave the hall, maintaining that he must not leave the sight of such a holy sign. They shot him where he stood.
Over the last few weeks, martial law has been declared over the planet, something that I am told, and while I find this somewhat hard to believe, is exceedingly rare. The Chapter Master has declared that the Imperial Faith is not to be tolerated, any citizen of Macragge found to be spreading the Faith of the God Emperor will be punished most severely. No member of the Ecclesiarchy is to set foot Macragge or on any of the worlds that swear fealty to the Realm of Ultramar. Any who do will risk the full fury of the Sons of Guilliman falling upon them.
The Ecclesiarchy were given a single week to leave the planet and the wider realm. They, of course, refused to abandon the people of Ultramar to wither and die in the absence of the God Emperor's light. In an act of inspiring defiance against the Forces of Darkness, a detachment of the Adeptus Sororitas, those valorous Sisters of Battle volunteered to undertake a mission into the very heart of the traitors' strength, to put an end to this heresy once and for all. That was many days ago. They have not yet returned. May the Emperor have mercy on their souls.
As I write this missive, I pray it shall somehow reach you. I pray that others may take up arms against the False Sons of the 13th and purge their corruption from this galaxy. For if Ultramar, the so-called Jewel of the Imperium, second only to Holy Terra itself, can fall, are any of us truly safe? I fear the answer.
Yet still, a sliver of hope remains, our astropaths report that the Astronomican is in flux. Almost as if the God-Emperor himself has turned his mighty attention to us in our hour of greatest need. I doubt his wrath shall prove my salvation, but it matters not. I am prepared to lay down my life and soul in his service.
Farewell my Lord, and may the Golden Throne Watch over you,
A
"You are all traitors of the highest order! The Ultramarines are no true sons of the Imperium!" A voice screeches as he pulls himself back into consciousness.
"You are no true servants of the God Emperor!"
More fanatics. Splendid.
The speaker, he finds, is an elderly woman whose white hair contrasts sharply with her black power armor. She stands backed by a squad of similarly armored women who are leveling a collection of bolters and heavy flamers at the Captain of the Second Company and the Chief Librarian.
If he disliked her on principle before, he hates her now. Who is this woman that she can hold Astartes at bolter point and not immediately be eviscerated for her cheek? On whose authority does she threaten his sons?
"You forget yourself Canoness." The captain rumbles, tone glacially cold. "Your order is young as the galaxy measures such things, so I will assume that you are unaware of our ways and thus did not mean to insult us as you have."
"I-" she tries to interrupt, but he continues.
"Know this girl, the Ultramarines answer to three men, and three men alone: The Emperor of Mankind, The Primarch Roboute Guilliman, and The Chapter Master. We do not owe allegiance to your Ecclesiarch. We will not bow down to a crazed fanatic like you. We will not disobey our Father's commands or submit to your poisonous faith. Do you understand me?"
Well said.
There is silence as the woman, evidently the Canoness, struggles to form a coherent reply.
"You would deny your Lord's divinity?" she gasps at last, "Rob him of the worship he so rightfully deserves?"
He isn't divine, he doesn't want to be worshiped. Why don't they understand that?
"Yes." Is the Captain's blunt reply. "Our Father does not want to be worshiped. He made that abundantly clear."
"Heretic!" she cries, "The miracle was the greatest proof, the Imperium has seen since the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath! You're no better than the spawn of Chaos, no better than your traitor brethren. You shall be purged in holy fire as penance for your blasphemy!"
This mortal dares call his son corrupted? While she follows in Lorgar's traitorous ways? Does she wish to die?
The Captain laughs, "By who? You?" he says voice turning deadly, "I have been extremely patient, Canoness, but be warned I have no reason to suffer a fool such as you. Continue with your slander and I will kill you."
She spits in his face.
He makes good his promise.
Her headless body crashes to the now red-slicked marble.
The Captain flourishes his power sword, drawing an ornate bolt pistol with his off-hand as he does.
The power armored women open fire, screaming battle cries and prayers. It doesn't do them any good.
The Librarian's eyes ignite with psychic power, as warp lightning flickers about his skull-topped staff. A cracking barrier of electrokinetic energy snaps into being around his sons, deflecting the volley of bolter fire, before fading into nothingness with a sharp crack.
The Captain charges with a roar, power sword drawing a glowing streak through heads and limbs as bodies pile around him. The fight, if it could be called that is over in seconds. The Captain of the Second sheath his blade, eyeing the bodies on the ground with disdain.
"That was unwise."
The Captain turns to the Librarian, "What do you mean? You heard what that harpy said! Heretics! Us! It couldn't be borne."
"Foolish boy. Their deaths, however justified, will make us enemies that we are not ready to fight! We-" The librarian cuts himself off suddenly tense, "Kneel."
"What? To wh-Oh." The last is less a word than an awed exhale as the Captain sinks to one knee.
"He is here." The Librarian whispers, turning slowly to face his stasis chamber, "Father is here. If h-" The marine trails off, eyes once again glowing with fire, as he reaches out a trembling hand toward the stasis field.
Their gazes meet and he feels the touch of a foreign mind; then suddenly something within him snaps, and his world melts into golden radiance.
Author's Note:
Question for you all concerning the Inqusitior's report. Is that something you'd like to see more of? Or would you prefer it if I kept the focus on Guilliman and his thoughts on/reactions to the insanity that is 40k?
Just as a reminder, my second set of midterms start this week so the next update might be late because I don't know if I'll have time to write. I apologize in advance, hopefully, everything will settle down soon.
As usual, Huge Thanks to everyone who's commented/followed/faved. You're all amazing and I love to see what you think about this thing I have made. Please try to keep in mind that I'm still very much a novice when it comes to writing, so any constructive criticism/critique/lore correction is welcome (and let's be honest, desperately needed). Please don't be shy. I need all the help I can get!
Last but certainly not least, a massive thanks to my wonderful beta Spooky-Cadet!