40. The triumph
Laius Frost had joined the imperial army when he was 17; he had experienced many great battles of the great crusade, fought alongside astartes several times and faced more species of xenos in combat than probably any mortal alive but even he was awe struck by the company he was in.
He wasn't struck by sharing the room with astartes but by who the astartes were, they were living legends. Ezekyle Abaddon the 1st captain of the Luna wolves, Marius Gage the equerry to the Ultramarines primarch, Hasik Noyan-Khan the commander of close to half of the White scars legion and Tatin Erstwal the 1st captain of the Mist walkers.
But even these giants were dimmed by the presence of their primarchs. The 4 sons of the emperor stood around a hololith with their legions' command and several commanders of the Imperial army and navy.
The hololith displayed a system of a dozen or so worlds, all of them highlighted in green, between the worlds were crudely drawn skulls that symbolised the naval force of their enemy, the Orks. The Imperium had been fighting the largest Ork empire that had ever been documented, it spread across an entire sector initially but now it only consisted of a single system, the Ullanor system.
From what could be seen on the map, compiled thanks to scout ships and Aeoran's precognition, the Orks had thousands of ships spread across the system and each world likely had millions of Orks on them.
"This will not be easy" Horus commented as he looked over the map
"If there are any in the Imperium who can win this war then it is the four of us" Guilliman encouraged his brothers, "And do not forget the Emperor is with us"
"Speaking of our father, where is he?" Aeoran asked, "Should he not be leading?"
Horus answered his brother, "Father has placed me in charge of conducting this war, I even command the Custodes to a limited degree"
The other 3 primarchs looked at their brother in surprise, it was unheard of for the Emperor to be present and not leading the forces of humanity.
"Take care with your words" one of the golden warriors of the Emperor stood in the corner of the room, "While you have been given command we still serve the Emperor"
"I guess we all know who the favourite son is now" Jaghatai commented
"Perturabo?" Aeoran joked earning some laughter from his brothers
Horus quickly focused back on the attack plan, "Jaghatai I want to send you forward to disrupt the Orks, your ships are the fastest so it should be easy for you to break up their formations, draw them towards Roboute and Aeoran"
"Seems like I'll be having all the fun brothers" A large marine standing beside the Khan chuckled as he started drawing up manoeuvres in his head, he wore the colours of the White scars but the left puldron and arm of his armour were painted black and gold and bore the symbol of the 11th legion
"They're just Orks, not much fun to be had" another marine with the black and gold arm but wearing the colours of the Ultramarines spoke back to him
Laius had been briefed on them, the sons of the 11th primarch that had been lent to other legions, the one wearing the White scars colours was Tengist and the one in the Ultramarines colours was Aest.
Horus interrupted the two, "Focusing back on the war, Roboute and Aeoran will attack the outer planets to draw more Orks away from Ullanor prime and once you have fully engaged them I'll head straight for Ullanor prime and take the warboss' head"
Some finer details were hashed out and everyone present confirmed their part in the plan. The war council dispersed. Aeoran turned to leave but before he could he was stopped by Horus.
"Aeoran I want you to see what more you can learn from the future"
Aeoran had regained his precognitive powers after the war with the Rangdan and they were more powerful than ever but he was still wary of them, "It is not very wise to rely on my powers brother"
"Your ability is indispensable, yes it has led you astray once but a thousand times before and since it has led to victory and millions of saved lives" Roboute commented, "Be wary but don't completely dismiss the advantage it provides"
"Roboute is right, I just don't want any surprises, this war will be remembered in the Imperium for thousands of years to come" Aeoran sighed as he relented to his brother's request, giving a quick nod before heading back to his ship
Aeoran sat in his sanctum within the crystal pyramid with his librarius around him, fog clung to the flood as he sat cross legged in the centre of the pyramid, eyes closed and mind focused on the future, on Ullanor.
Aeoran opened his eyes and found himself in a dark place, the sky was over cast with polluted black clouds and the air was just as polluted. He looked around to see that he stood among a sea of pale and malnourished people, their backs were so hunched that they were forced to constantly bow. All the people were facing in the same direction, towards something behind Aeoran.
Aeoran turned around and saw a massive tower that all the people were bowing and shouting praises at. The base of the tower was hundreds of feet high and made of the rotting bodies of regular humans, the myriad of uniform colours all faded as scavenger birds picked the flesh from the bones. On top of the morbid base was a pillar made of the corpses of astartes, their armour rusted and legion colours stripped thanks to battle and time. At the top of this pillar that stretched up to the clouds were statues of the primarchs but as Aeoran ran around it he noticed some were smashed and torn down from the pillar. The likes of Ferrus Manus, Vulkan and Dorn were present but he could not see Fulgrim, Curze or Perturabo.
Aeoran finally finished running around the pillar and took notice of the broken statue he originally stood before. It was a pair of feet, broken at the ankles but beside them was the butt of a weapon, a spear or polearm or an axe. Aeoran looked down at the broken rubble that surrounded the tower and found his face carved in to cracked stone with pieces of his torso surrounding it.
"What is this?" Aeoran called out as he finally looked to the very top of the tower and at the golden light that the people seemed to be worshiping, "Father! What is this?!"
No answer came as Aeoran felt the crushing weight of the light force his eyes to the ground, his knees to buckle and his back to bow, he tried to fight it but the power of the light was too great.
"What is this?" Aeoran strained to stand, his knees nearly touching the ground, "Answer me father!"
It is the future
Aeoran heard the guiding voice as he felt a presence lift him up and protect him from the crushing weight of the light. He looked to the top of the tower once again but this time he didn't see the light, it was gone but the people still praised and worshipped like it was still presence.
It is the future
"No" Aeoran refused to believe what he was seeing, "Our father would never want this, he would never cast us aside and abandon us"
It is the future
The sound of the people's worship grew louder and louder until it was deafening, Aeoran grabbed the closet person to him and pulled him to his feet.
"Why are you worshipping this thing" he demanded
"The God-Emperor demands our worship, he demands our praise so he might protect us all"
"The God-Emperor? The Emperor isn't here, he's abandoned you, can't you see?" Aeoran pointed to the top of the tower
"The God-Emperor is always here, if we cannot see him then he is simply somewhere beyond our sight"
The man looked like some brainwashed fanatic, his eyes without any thought behind them and his mouth simply reciting things that had been told to him when he doubted. Aeoran threw him down and looked around the unending sea of worshippers that stretched on to infinity, they all looked the same, praising the morbid pillar and the absent god they believed sat atop it.
It is the future
"IT IS NOT!" Aeoran let a cry out in to the dark sky as the clouds opened up and a down pour began, "It can't be"
It is, it is the future that he seeks
The rain washed over Aeoran, straining his skin red, the clouds not letting out water but blood, the blood of billions. The blood continued to fall as it started to rise and flood, threatening to drown the worshippers but they didn't seem to mind at all.
Aeoran fell to his knees in the rising red tide, "This can't be"
It will be
Aeoran opened his eyes again and he was inside the crystal pyramid, he was breathing heavy and sweat covered his face. The primarch was helped to his feet by his librarians.
"What did you see, my lord?" Urdiel asked
Aeoran looked at his chief librarian, his face devoid of all colour, he took a deep breath and slowed his heart, "I didn't see anything more about the Orks, we know all we can, you are all dismissed I need a few moments alone"
The primarch headed to his private meditation chamber while the librarians dispersed. Urdiel was leaving the sanctum when he was approached by Casis Thal.
"Chief librarian, did you use the techniques and runes I told you about?"
"I did and I believe they worked, the primarch certainly saw something more but he has decided to keep it secret" Uridel told Thal of the reaction the primarch had had, "Where did you learn such things?"
"I found a tome and I thought I should share some of the secrets with you before revealing it to the primarch and legion as a whole"
"Well from all the secrets you have shared with me it seems like the legion as a whole will benefit"
The war for Ullanor was great and bloody, millions of Imperial army soldiers and hundreds of thousands of marines faced off against near endless tides of Orks. None of the legions tried to make gains on the planets they invaded, that was not what they were there for, they held out against continued attacks from the Orks until at the decisive moment word reached them that the warboss had been slain.
Horus had battled him personally and thrown the ork's broken body from the tower at the centre of his empire, the loss of the warboss broke all Ork cohesion and the forces of mankind surged forward to slaughter the greenskins to the last. Many heroes were made over the course of the battle and the Emperor declared that the great war against such a massive Ork empire would be celebrated at a triumph fitting such an endeavour.
The world of Ullanor prime would be completely flattened, all the crude structures put up by the greenskins were torn down and their rotting bodies were burned in great pyres, all the mountains except one were levelled and the rubble used to fill in the canyons, great slabs of marble were brought in from across the galaxy and placed down to turn the world in to a gleaming white marble.
On the single remaining mountain a great palace was built with a balcony that over looked a great highway that would allow several entire armies to march down it side by side without their shoulders touching.
Commanders, primarchs and officials from across the Imperium were called to Ullanor to witness the greatest triumph of the Imperium.
"Come on Robu, this is the greatest victory of the great crusade, stay" Horus tried to convince his brother not to leave
Roboute scowled at the use of his nickname but said nothing about it, "The great crusade isn't over, there are more worlds to conquer"
"Is that all you think about, work?" Aeoran asked, "Going from one war to the next"
"Roboute isn't built for having fun like the rest of us" before Roboute could answer he was cut off by a new arrival
Sanguinius strolled in to the palace on Ullanor's last mountain, followed by his Sanguinary guard. The Angel opened up his arms as he greeted his brothers, Horus being the first to greet him with a hug.
"Do you know of any others coming?" Horus asked
"Lorgar is not far behind me"
"He must be waiting for Roboute to leave" Aeoran commented, they all knew that the wound caused by Monarchia was still raw for the Word bearers
"Then I should be taking that leave" Roboute gave Sanguinius a curt nod and a pat on the shoulder before leaving
"Out of the two of them I would have chosen Roboute to stay" the Khan made a snide comment
"I'm with you there" Aeoran agreed
After Sanguinius, Lorgar arrived then it was Fulgrim, Mortarion, Magnus, Rogal Dorn and then finally Angron.
The 10 primarchs socialised with each other and the Imperial officials and delegates on Ullanor at the Emperor's invitation, well all except Angron. Delegations from all 20 legions were sent to Ullanor and after everything was finally put in place the great triumph commenced.
Millions of mortal soldiers marched down the great highway under the gaze of the 10 primarchs, every individual dressed in perfectly pressed and polished parade dress, no two regiments wearing an identical uniform. The near perfectly synced marching of so many caused each foot fall to cause a small earthquake, they moved past the primarchs like wind-up toys, their bodies stiff and movements repetitive.
Behind the mortal soldiers came columns of tanks and other vehicles, each of them flying both the standard of the Imperium and of their company. Behind the tanks came the war machines of the titan legions, the size of the god machines ranging from the small scout titans to the mountainous emperor-class which was tall enough to have its cockpit level with the balcony the primarchs stood on.
After the titans had moved past then came the representatives of the legions send to Ullanor, the astartes marched in perfect sync going past in order of their legion number. Overhead in the clear skies of Ullanor fighter craft flew in complex formations as they left smoke trails behind them, some of the formations drawing the aquila or other symbols of Imperial power in the sky.
All those that had marched past the primarch in the great parade finished their march in a great parade square that was more than large enough to accommodate the millions present as well as the titans. All present were looking towards a great stage erected at the head of the parade square and raised above the ocean of loyal soldiers was the Emperor.
The Emperor stood centre stage, a golden light rivalling the sun, with his golden guard standing between the soldiers and the stage. The primarchs stepped on to the stage to stand beside their father as he commended all those who fought in the war for Ullanor and especially those who stood beside Horus and his Luna wolves on Ullanor prime.
"I used this great endeavour to see if my primarchs had come as far as I had believed" the Emperor's voice was clear even to those at the very back of the parade square, "And they have, they were made to be my greatest generals and to unify this galaxy under the rule of humanity"
The Emperor raised his hands as the gathered crowd let out a deafening cry and the titans let loose their war horns, the Emperor soon called for quiet and the sound quickly died away, "They have met my expectations and exceeded them so that is why I have no reservations about what I am about to do"
The Emperor turned to Horus, who stood on his right, he pulled out a golden crown of laurel leaves, "Kneel" Horus took a knee as the Emperor held the crown over his head
"I will be leaving the great crusade" the Emperor declared to the shocked gasps of all present, "But I will not be leaving it without direction, without a head, Horus you were the first found and have long been the first among your brothers and now I shall make your informal position formal. Horus Lupercal, I name you Warmaster and charge you to lead the forces of humanity until they unify this galaxy or I relieve you, do you accept this honour?"
Horus looked up at his father and then to his brothers that stood around him, some looked at him jealously and other looked at him with encouragement, he knew not all his brothers would accept him right away but of all the primarch he was the one with the best chance to bring them all around.
"I accept" Horus bowed his head and the Emperor placed the golden crown on his head
"Now rise, no longer just one of my primarchs but first among them and Warmaster"
Horus rose to his feet and the crowd let out a great cry, "HAIL THE EMPEROR! HAIL THE WARMASTER!" they repeated that chant over and over
The first to congratulate Horus on his promotion was Aeoran, the mist king giving his brother a firm clap on the back.
"I guess we now know for certain that you are the favourite son" he joked
Sanguinius, Fulgrim and his other brothers soon came to congratulate him to, each of them putting their support behind him and promising to help bring any reluctant brothers around. After leaving Ullanor Horus would go on a tour to gather support from the rest of his brothers and parts of the Imperial army, a few of his brothers would reject his ascension, believing that they were more worthy of the honour or that the position of Warmaster was unneeded but none of them thought to allow their rejection to cause any actual conflict in the ranks of the Imperium.
After the triumph of Ullanor the primarchs and their legions went about enacting compliances and the Emperor returned to Terra, a year after naming Horus Warmaster the Emperor called on all his sons once again to gather on the world of Nikaea. The Emperor was calling a great conclave to decide the fate of psykers in the Imperium and to possibly censure one of his own sons, the primarchs and officials from across the Imperial government were called to the planet to take part in the debate and hear the Emperor's ultimate verdict.
Nikaea was a young planet, geologically active and utterly uninhabitable to all but the most hardy life, the Mechanicum had been tasked with using their great geo-engines to make a portion of the world habitable but the air was still filled with the heat and soot from the active volcanos all over the planet.
"I think this world is officially my least favourite" Ovis scowled as he walked down the transport's ramp
He looked up at the black clouds that filled the sky, their undersides illuminated by the rivers of lava that flowed instead of water. A singular volcano stood before the primarch and his entourage, it had been hollowed out and turned in to a great amphitheatre to host the debate.
"I don't know father, there was that desert planet with those burrowing xenos, we were constantly harassed and there was no loot to be had" Atris followed after his father, several of his other siblings not far behind
"I guess you're right there"
Ovis headed for the hollow mountain, passing several Mechanicum personnel and the atmosphere maintaining machines that they in turn maintained. The entrance to the mountain had been cut away using a melta, giving the volcanic rock a glassy and half melted appearance, the corridors were cut in to near perfect squares that were more than big enough for the primarch to walk down.
As Ovis walked through the volcanic complex he spotted the familiar gold and purple colours of one of his brothers.
"Fulgrim!" the phoenix seemed to have also arrived not too long ago
Fulgrim smiled as he embraced his brother, "Things must be desperate if father managed to drag you here"
"I was planning on taking a vacation and a volcanic hell world was just the place I had in mind"
"Well father is psychic" the two laughed together
"Do you know if anyone else has arrived yet?"
"I'm not sure but I am certain Magnus will arrive soon if he's not already here"
Ovis sniffed the air slightly, "Oh Magnus is here already and I think he knows I am here as well"
As he said that Ovis' brow furrowed slightly, barely noticeable but Fulgrim saw it clearly, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing" Ovis seemed to be distracted by something, "I should be going, we need to prepare for the debate"
Fulgrim flashed his brother a smile, "Yes although we can only ultimately trust father's judgment"
The two parted ways and Ovis headed to the waiting room designated for him. The room was located just off the floor of the great theatre at the heart of the volcano with a door at the far end of the room leading to a private box. The room itself was well furnished with couches and trays of fruits and wine already laid out.
Ovis entered the room and immediately pulled off his armoured arm and coat, throwing it at Atris who caught it, "What are you doing?" he asked his father
"I need you to impersonate me, something is going on and I'm going to investigate" Ovis turned to one of his other sons, "Evis you're with me, Atris you know my position on this so if I'm called to make an argument go ahead and give it on my behalf"
"Sure" Atris started pulling off his armour as he prepared to impersonate his father like he had done many times before, "But can you tell us what exactly is going on?"
"I'm not sure but I don't like it and I'm not sure who else is aware of it, just make sure it seems like I'm not gone"
That was the last thing Ovis said before leaving the waiting room with his son.
Kasper Hawser had always liked knowing things, he had always been curious and searched for answers but now he had learned that some answers were best left unfound. The skjald of the space wolves 3rd great company had made a career on his curiosity but having recently learned some secrets about himself and the life he had thought he lived he found himself appreciating ignorance.
Hawser had learned why he had travelled to Fenris all those years ago, not to leave the stuffy and stifling bureaucracy of Terra behind or to experience the wild and untamed world of wolves like he had originally thought and had maintained whenever one of the wolves had asked. He had apparently been brainwashed by the Thousand sons and for his entire tenure as skjald he had acted as a window for the sons of Magnus to spy on the sons of Russ but the wolves had known this long before him and had acted accordingly.
His status as a spy for the Thousand sons had been mere speculation, at least until it was confirmed to him by the equerry to Magnus himself.
Hawser was in one of the boxes in the upper circles, high up and overlooking the debates going on down below. He was being accompanied by the custodes known as Amon, he hadn't noticed at first but it soon became clear some warp trickery was at work on Amon and that was when he appeared.
The equerry of Magnus the red, coincidently also named Amon, had used his warp powers to paralyse the custodes and cornered Hawser but instead of killing him like the skjald thought Amon revealed that he was in fact a spy for the Thousand sons.
Hawser argued with the equerry about his free will and the memories they tampered with but as things were getting heated two wolves came to his rescue, Aun Helwintr the rune priest of the 3rd great company and Bear had arrived when they realised something was wrong. Helwintr attempted to match Amon with his own mystic powers but none could best one of the Thousand sons at their own speciality and the rune priest was tossed aside with little effort.
Bear had drawn his axe and was preparing to charge the son of Magnus, wary of his warp powers, but before he could take a step an oppressive aura permeated the air and the other Amon was now the paralysed one.
"I found you, you little snake"
A giant of a man strolled in to the box. He was absolutely massive, even bigger that the astartes of the 6th, his skin was dark like tanned leather and his black dreadlocked hair hung around his shoulders with precious metals and stones threaded in to it. He wore a chainmail shirt over his torso that left his muscular arms bare. The most striking thing about him though was his perfectly reflective silver eyes.
Behind the giant came another, this one was larger than most astartes but he was shorter than the first. He shared many features with the first giant including his skin and silver eyes although this one wore black and gold power armour.
Bear moved aside as the first giant moved forward to face Amon, Hawser could clearly see Bear respected the interloper. The equerry shuffled back as the giant approached him, backing up to the edge of the box like a cornered animal.
"I don't know why you're here but I don't really care so I guess I'll kill you"
The giant reached for Amon, the fear clear as day on the astarte's face. Before the giant could grab him Amon jumped over the wall that surrounded the box and dropped down to one of the lower levels. As soon as the equerry was gone the frozen custodian could finally move.
Bear ran to the edge of the box and looked down but Amon had already run off, "We need to mount a search" Bear turned and prepared to pursue, "Seal off all the upper levels un…."
"Don't bother you won't find him" the giant interrupted him
"Well it doesn't matter the testimony of both a custodies and a primarch of Amon's actions will be more than enough to censure Magnus and his legion"
The giant that Hawser now knew was one of the Emperor's sons turned to Bear, "What was he doing here anyway?"
"He was confirming the suspicions your brother has had all along, the sons of Magnus are using our own skjald to spy on the Rout"
"Straight from the mouth of the beast" the primarch seemed to think for a second before walking back to the one he arrived with and whispering in to his ear, he then turned to Bear and Amon, "You two should report this to Russ and the Emperor, take my son in case you are attacked again"
Bear helped Helwintr to his feet before the two of them and the giant in black and gold armour escorted him from the box.
Ovis stayed in the box looking down at the debate floor, Magnus was giving an impassioned speech about all the good he and his sons have brough the Imperium and how their warpcraft allowed them to do it.
"Will this experience be apart of your testimony?" the custodian had stayed behind
"No, no need for it to be"
"Why do I get the feeling you are hiding something from all of us?"
Ovis looked over at Amon, "Because I am, we all are, even the Emperor especially the Emperor"
"That is true so I won't ask you to divulge your secret but just answer me this, will this secret jeopardise the dream of my liege?"
Ovis thought for a second, "No I don't think it will"
Amon seemed satisfied with that answer and left the box to report what just happened to the Emperor.
The rest of the council seemed to go without incident as Ovis returned to his box as Magnus was finishing up his argument, calling out his brothers who hid behind falsehoods in order him guilty of the very thing he had been created by the Emperor to do. He argued against letting fear and superstition, the very thing the Imperium was built to combat, blind and weaken the Imperium by throwing out useful knowledge gained from the warp.
Ovis came to stand next to his son, "Have you spoken yet?"
"No, I thought it best to leave that to you although many have come out against Magnus, even a librarian"
"Then I should make my case" as Magnus finished his plea Ovis dropped the falsehood that disguised him
"I agree with Magnus" he declared causing a bit of a stir in the amphitheatre
"Now is not the time for more testimony, the Emperor will pas.." Malcador attempted to silence Ovis but the Emperor gently silenced him
"This is not a testimony but merely fact" Ovis continued, "The Imperium is at war and in war you do not handicap yourself, all know how I feel about witches and those who use the powers of the warp but we can't expect eternal victory, we must develop all the weapons we can for the day when we need them and librarians are no different. This is not a question of what we should and should not know, if Magnus is destroyed by the knowledge he gains then it matters little so long as our weapons are strengthened, this is a question of whether we can afford to give up weapons and the answer is and always will be no"
Shocked faces looked down a Ovis but none more shocked than Magnus. The 11th was the last brother he would have expected to come to his defence, admittedly it was an argument for the utility of librarians in war instead of their use in the pursuit of knowledge but that mattered little to Magnus. After Ovis came a few more arguments for Magnus but a recess was soon called and when all returned the Emperor would give his judgment.
It was not long before everyone was called back and the Emperor who had silently watched the proceedings from his golden throne rose and stepped froward to give his judgment.
Malacador struck his staff in to the ground, the sound echoing throughout the amphitheatre, "Listen all and hear the words of your Emperor for they shall not be revoked or spoken a second time"
The Emperor stood on the edge of a raised dais as everyone present fell deathly silent, staring at the golden light in the centre of the amphitheatre as they waited to hear the words that would decide the course of history.
"Hear now my words" the Emperor's voice was projected clearly to every corner of the amphitheatre even as the sound of remembrancers putting down his every word also filled the space, "I am not blind to the necessities of war, of humanities need for weapons to defend ourselves with, but I am also not blind to the hearts of men and the dangers that come with power. I have seen men who justify themselves with the pursuit of knowledge or power and it has always led them to ruin as obsession corrupted their very being. A man with a lasgun can stand against anything but a man with the forces of the universe at his fingertips can not stand against his darker temptations"
The Emperor looked directly at Magnus as he gave his final judgment, "The warp is an unreliable weapon at best and the truths it reveals may very well just be shrouded falsehoods or tricks played by the malicious xenos who call it home. I have a great knowledge of the warp but even I limit myself and must continuously be reminded not to rely on it solely or risk falling to the falsehoods that are abound, one must use the warp cautiously and I see now that I have not imparted that lesson on to my primarchs and their legions. It is a useful weapon against our enemies but it can just as easily be used against us and not by our enemies but by ourselves. None shall be judged here for past transgressions for that will not fix anything but from this moment forth no more astartes are to be trained in the manipulation of the warp and those that are shall no longer make use of those powers, the librarius shall be disbanded and all members returned to standard battle companies"
A shocked murmur went through the amphitheatre until Malcador silenced everyone with another strike from his staff on the ground, the sound shocking everyone like a thunder clap, the Emperor continued to speak.
"All here have heard my decree and word shall reach all corners of this Imperium, let ignorance be no excuse, all who break faith with me and flout my decree shall be my enemy and the enemy of all the Imperium and mankind. I will destroy him and all who follow him and he shall rue the day he turned from my vision"
Next time: Maiden deck