It only took them about a minute to find the strange Space Marine as he was in his chamber, the first place they checked.
Kalakor towered over Attelus and Karmen, his arms folded across his huge cuirass.
'You wish to be informed of my background?' he said.
'Th-that's it's said Attelus.
'Are you sure you wish to know?'
'No, but it's important,' said Attelus. 'We need to know how you can use sorcery because Inquisitor Enandra will know soon enough.'
'Why?'
'Because too many people know,' said Karmen. 'Most of us saw you penetrate the veil. All of us saw you destroy the Sword of Kalncerak.'
The Space Marine's inscrutable red eyes turned on her, although Attelus knew his gaze would be inscrutable, even helmetless.
For a few seconds, Kalakor seemed to calculate the variables of this. 'I understand,' he said.
'That's good, Kalakor, that's great,' said Karmen. 'So tell us, please, how did you learn sorcery?'
Kalakor nodded slightly. 'I will. I am a man of my word, although it was only Attelus Kaltos whom I swore to, you Karmen Kons are good too.'
'Uhh, thanks!' said Karmen.
'But before I tell you of how I learned sorcery, it is better I inform you as to why.'
'Okay,' said Attelus. 'That makes sense.'
'But before I start, I must remind you that both of you are working alongside Xenos, and you, Attelus Kaltos, were under the control of a daemon sword and slew many loyal servants to the Golden Throne.'
'I...yes,' said Attelus, the blunt reminder of him killing those soldiers stung, but he was really beginning to dislike where this was going. 'So, you're subtly implying that we shouldn't judge you?'
'I am,' said Kalakor without a hint of irony.
'Just please get it done, Kalakor,' said Karmen.
The Space Marine's hands clenched into fists, and for a split second, they shook slightly; could that have been fear? 'I shall be blunt. I...was an Alpha Legionnaire.'
Attelus' heart fell to his toes, and he could only begin to splutter out monosyllables.
'One of the nine traitor legions?' Karmen said, and Attelus had never heard her sound so exasperated.
'I was Karmen Kons. Emphasis on was,' said Kalakor and Attelus had never heard him sound so exasperated either. 'I left their ranks a long time ago. You see, I was taken in as a new recruit into their ranks near the end of what you in the Imperium now calls The Horus Heresy. After my...primarch Alpharius elected to join Horus in his rebellion.'
In the corner of Attelus' eye, he caught Karmen look at him, and he met her wide-eyed gaze. A gaze that said, "Frig this, you were right; we didn't need to know this."
'But I did not wish to fight against the Emperor and the Imperium, and I saw the impending corruption degradation awaiting me by witnessing it within my older brothers and those of the other traitor legions. I saw that this corruption brought the worst out in them, or the brothers who had been changed alongside me. I saw the vile, terrible rites that those of the Word Bearers and those who had given themselves entirely to the Chaos gods would perform for, but a sliver of their power and disgust rose inside me. Disgust, loathing and hatred. So I decided to abandon my brothers and forge my own path. A path dedicated to battling the...what was later entitled The Ruinous Powers, in any way I could and aid humanity and the Imperial Truth in any way I can.'
Karmen furrowed her brow. 'The Imperial Truth?'
'And let me guess,' said Attelus. 'Because, while you know a single Space Marine is a formidable warrior, you knew you could only do so much, so you learned sorcery?'
Kalakor pointed a huge finger at Attelus. 'That is a clever assumption, young Attelus. And a correct one, too.'
Attelus shrugged. 'As a fellow pragmatist, I guess I understand. But that shit's way above my pay grade.'
Karmen's narrowed eyes shot back and forth between Attelus and Kalakor. 'What is the Imperial Truth, Space Marine?'
'That, you do not need to know, and that subject and my elaboration upon that subject was not a part of our bargain, psyker.'
'Maybe I should tear it from your mind then.'
Attelus clenched his teeth. 'No...no, don't do that.'
'I would like to see you try, psyker.'
In the blink of an eye, Attelus slid to stand between them, his hand on the hilt of his sword. In all honesty, he had no idea who would win in a fight; Attelus didn't know the true extent of Kalakor's power, although his skills did seem more utilitarian, but he was a Space Marine. But Karmen was a frigging beta level psyker, and her achievements in psychic power were beyond belief. Attelus didn't know what this Imperial Truth was, but there was something strange about it, and he could understand why Karmen was demanding to know what it was.
'Stand down, both of you, now!'
A snigger erupted from Kalakor's helmet vox. 'You of all people acting as peacemaker, little assassin.'
'That must show how desperate this situation is,' said Attelus. 'We can't afford to have a fight here of all places, frig it. The alliance with the Eldar is tenuous at best and-'
'Shut it, Attelus,' said Karmen. 'What is the Imperial Truth, Kalakor?'
'No, you shut it, Karmen,' said Attelus. 'Kalakor only agreed to tell us why and how he learned sorcery, not about this. We can talk about this later. Now, stand the frig down!
Neither Kalakor nor Karmen moved, and a sudden burst of boiling rage bubbled inside Attelus' chest. 'Stand down, now! I'm in charge here, Karmen, and I'm ordering you, let this pass for frig's sake.'
'Are you not interested what this "Imperial Truth" is, Attelus? I have never heard of it.'
'I am, but Kalakor is willing to fight rather than tell us now, and we can't afford this right now! Don't make me regret bringing you here.'
'He should be destroyed; anyway, he is a Traitor Astartes. I told you we shouldn't have trusted him!'
Kalakor laughed. 'Of course, think in the dogmatic, black and white foolishness of this Imperium of Mankind. I am only a traitor to my former brothers, as they had betrayed the Emperor long before I was recruited into their ranks.'
Oh, god-Emperor! Now Attelus felt like he was on the verge of a panic attack.
Karmen bristled at this. 'How dare you, how frigging dare you!'
'How frigging dare I speak the truth?'
'You think that a traitor like you think you know what is the truth of this Imperium than I?'
'Yes.'
Karmen's clenched her jaw and hunched forwards as if to lunge, but before she could even blink, Attelus had drawn his sword and held its edge an inch from her throat. 'That's enough, Karmen.'
'Y-you are not on the Traitor Marine's side, surely?'
'No,' said Attelus. 'But you are under my command, so you are the one I am able to order.'
'But-'
'But nothing, frig it. Inquisitor Enandra put me in charge, not you. So, I am ordering you to stand down or...'
'Or what? You will put me down? You used that line on Vark, didn't you?'
Attelus fought the urge to flinch at the mention of Vark's name. 'Perhaps. Either way, you are going to leave this thing about "The Imperial Truth" lie, or you are going to have to leave. Understand?'
'I don't-'
'Are you going to let the subject lie, or are you going to leave, Karmen?'
Karmen stood up straight and finally turned her glare on Attelus, and he couldn't help blanch as tears shone in her eyes. 'I cannot believe this; I cannot believe you're on his side, not mine.'
Then she turned and stormed out the room.
Attelus couldn't tear his eyes away even when the door slid shut behind her.
'Frankly, I am surprised that you are on my side; she is your lover-'
'Shut up, Kalakor,' said Attelus, finally managing to turn to the Space Marine. 'I don't frigging like this, and I already explained why.'
'Yes, but-'
'If you refuse to tell us about The Imperial Truth, perhaps you can tell me about how you became a Raven Guard veteran-sergeant?'
'Actually, I would not mind telling you about the Imperial Truth; you are not so dogmatically minded as her. This was why I agreed to tell you of the background in the first place. Her strong belief in the Imperial Cult will make her dislike the truth immensely. So much so that she might go on a rampage of sorts.'
'Oh, okay, then,' said Attelus as he scratched the back of his neck. 'Uhh, that's interesting, yes. Alright, how about we go over that later. Right now, let's just keep to the subject. How did you, a Space Marine of the Alpha Legion, become a part of the Raven Guard?'
'A century ago, I infiltrated their ranks by taking the place of Kalakor when he was a Battle-Brother, of their 4th company,' said Kalakor. 'I used...techniques long utilised by the Alpha Legion to achieve this goal.'
'Techniques such as?'
Kalakor sighed. 'I had my face removed, my facial structure reconstructed to match his. His eyes transplanted into me, then my scalp removed, replaced with his, then his face. Done in a way to hide any sign of the surgery. As well as my skin permanently dyed to be the trademark pale white of the Raven Guard. I had to consume his brain for his memories too.'
Attelus gaped. 'By the Emperor.'
'Indeed, even with my enhanced constitution, I do not wish to go through such a process again.'
Attelus shrugged again; it reminded him of the Mimic who'd assassinated Taryst and taken his place as the leader back on Omnartus three years ago. It, too, had to have its eyes with Taryst's, Attelus had wondered why the Mimic couldn't have worn contacts made to replicate Taryst's retina, but he supposed that the retinal scanner was far too advanced to be fooled by contacts. He meant to ask Karmen one day about that. Quickly, Attelus forced away the thought of her.
'But...why?'
Kalakor looked down at him. 'A...friend of mine foresaw that this particular squad of Raven Guard marines would be upon Sarkeath when a perpetual would arrive-'
'Which meant that perpetual would bring the sword of Kalncerak into the material realm allowing you to destroy it. Is that right?'
'Correct, as I mentioned back on that accursed world that I needed to destroy that sword as a promise to another long-dead friend.'
'It was another perpetual who locked it in that...dimension, right? You won't tell me who that friend was?'
'Yes, it was and no. My apologies, but I will not tell you who it was that told me of this prophecy, either.'
Attelus nodded and hid a smile. It was nice of Kalakor to confirm that they weren't the same person.
'I hold little faith in prophecy, but I decided to take a risk, and I am gladdened it was correct. And besides, it was great to be once again involved in the bonds of brotherhood.'
Attelus frowned. 'Hmm, so, when you'd said before that when you had your squad fight that Bloodthirster, you knew they'd die. You actually knew they'd die?'
Kalakor stayed silent.
'I'll take your silence as a yes, then.'
'I...did not wish to do it. I had fought alongside them for many years, one for the entire century of service. I mentored a few, but it had to be done.'
'So you could complete your mission?'
'So I could complete my mission.'
'Perhaps you and Karmen have more in common than you think.'
'How so?'
'Perhaps it'd be better if you get that information from her; I don't think she'd appreciate me telling you without her permission if you catch my drift.'
'I...catch your drift? That is...a strange turn of phrase. But I understand. But you must understand the greater daemon of the blood god would have wreaked utter havoc-'
Attelus raised a hand. 'Yes, I'm well aware how frigging deadly a Bloodthirster is, Kalakor.'
'Yes, I suppose you would.'
'Anyway, how did you learn sorcery?'
'I...was taught the basics by an infamous sorcerer when I joined his Warband for a while. I did not have natural psychic potential, so I spent many years attempting to learn what little amount I could. My teacher...was an actual traitor to the Imperium of Mankind, but more a traitor of circumstance, and he did not mind the reason why I wanted to learn, and I aided in his endeavours in my capacity as an infiltrator and warrior.'
'And let me guess you aren't going to tell me who your teacher was.'
'No. If I wished to tell you, I would have said it before.'
'Hmm, makes sense.'
'I am a Space Marine of the Legiones Astartes; I hold logic and reason is held above all things.'
'Hmm, interesting, yes,' said Attelus. 'I agree with that. Uhm, is that what the Imperial Truth is?'
Kalakor froze. 'That is...somewhat what it is, yes. It is ironic...'
'What's ironic?'
'That the Imperium of Mankind would become everything the Emperor stood against.'
