RWBY 40k fanfiction – Salem, mistress of Inquisition.
Ep 22: Mortarion, the reaper of Barbarus.
Barbarus is the very embodiment of terror. A nightmarish dead world ruled by terrifying Xenos who have enslaved the humans that inhabit the valleys below.
These Xenos ruled as feudal lords and used the inhabitants in their sadistic and painful experiments.
All of them regularly turned on each other for the most paltry motives, an imagined offense, the resurgence of an old grudge, or the simple despair of so much monotony, and derived perverse joy from inflicting their wickedness on each other.
Among all these xenos more horrible than each other.
There is one who bears the terrible name of Necare.
Bearing the title of High Overlord of Barbarus.
Necare was regularly in conflict with his rivals and made sure to destroy the holdings of the other lords of Barbarus.
But one day, he had managed to kill one of his rivals whom he despised above all else and inspected his palace to recover something he had interested.
Something that the slaves of this lord had found and brought back to their master. Something fallen from the sky it seems.
As he searched among the corpses strewn across the poisonous mountain, he heard the cries of a newborn baby.
Upon arriving, he discovered in a half-destroyed capsule with a human baby.
He raised his scythe, ready to kill the child.
But in the end... nothing happened.
Necare: "How come an inferior is so resilient here? None of them would have survived long in these poisonous clouds."
He decided to take the child in his arms.
Necare: "I think you will serve me well...Mortarion."
Mortarion thus grows up with his adoptive "father".
But Necare harbored no love for him.
He only saw it as the instrument of his vendetta against his other rivals.
He subjected him to some of the most heinous tests he could subject a child like him to.
Like making him breathe in concentrated toxic fumes to see how well he could survive that, making him climb whole, sheer cliffs.
Eventually, he forced him to build a dwelling in a place high enough in the atmosphere for Mortarion not to grow too large, far enough from the valleys of the lower ones and far enough from Necare Castle which Mortarion was forbidden to go there.
Necare was extremely cold towards his adopted son when he was not violent with him.
For example, when the time Mortarion ventured too close to the valleys...
Necare had tied Mortarion up and spread his arms.
Necare: "What did I tell you Mortarion... We don't approach inferiors... You'll pay me dearly for this affront."
Mortarion: "No father, please!"
Necare: "SILENCE, unworthy son! I clearly can't trust a failed experiment like you!"
He took his whip and struck with terrible force the Primarch who screamed in agony.
He hit it hundreds of times, until it was bloody, until it was muscle, until the bones were revealed in full light.
After days of torture, Necare approached his dark face close to the young child.
Necare: "You should be indebted to me and obey me. I created you and I have all the rights over you!"
Necare also tested Mortarion by confronting them with deadly challenges.
If Mortarion failed even in surviving, then Necare would deem him unworthy and be treated as an "Inferior".
One day, Necare dropped Mortarion into a pit of starving canines.
Another time he was forced to climb the steepest cliffs in torrential acid rain.
At one point, Necare forced Mortarion to fight with his bare hands an army of golems he had created.
Necare despite this feat still laughed as much and still judged him as weak and pathetic.
In dark days, Mortarion wished his father had spared him.
But Mortarion despite all that was becoming a stronger boy and he was well aware that he was far from being a human like the others.
One day, Necare summoned him.
Necare: "Mortarion. I have an important mission for you."
Mortarion: "Which father?"
Necare: "That wretched Hethemre has taken over my lands and I nos longer receive tithes from my Lesser. From what I understand he is slaughtering them with monsters! Kill those monsters immediately!"
Mortarion: "Yes father."
Mortarion accompanied by some golems descended the mountain.
Mortarion descended the mountain with the stone golems. Armed with a heavy rusty greatsword and a black powder repeating pistol.
After an interminable descent, he discovered Hethemre's monsters.
It was a large pack of ghosts, skeletal and rickety but whose strength was supernatural.
Mortarion accompanied by the golems began to slay the undead who came towards him with the help of the golems.
He then saw a huge steam crawler of the Chosen Barbaruns arrive.
It was a beast made up of parts of humans and animals, insane from the pain of its own existence. He was blowing from a double pair of snot-dripping nostrils sewn from a farmed Grox.
She vomited a huge stream of bile that shattered Mortarion's golems.
The Primarch threw himself on his bulbous and distorted body which was balanced on several muscular legs, human or not.
But from the force of the blow, Mortarion's blade shattered and the monster lunged at him before flattening him to the ground, twisting his armor and shattering his bones.
But then Necare appeared in a great golden light, captured in the blade of a massive scimitar.
The rusty blade sliced through the monster's limb that held Mortarion to the ground and slew the beast in the process.
Necare turned to Mortarion.
Necare: "You disappoint me so much Mortarion. One more failure like this and I swear I'll throw you to the choppers."
Necare eventually disappears, returning to his mansion surrounded by poisonous snow and an air so stale that Mortarion cannot go there.
Soon after, however, Mortarion's life would change forever.
That day, Mortarion brooded in his citadel.
But after a while, he heard the sound of grapeshot.
Looking outside, he saw a caravan of steam crawlers coming up the road across the pass where his lodge was.
They were heavy tracked transporters.
But as the caravan climbed, one of the vehicles detonated, skidded off the road before finally falling into the ditch. It was a harvest of humans and animals for Necare's experiments, destined to suffer in the carnal workshops of the Supreme Warlord.
A raggedy human with a respirator mask climbed out of the gutted cargo bed.
He was a stocky, fox-like young man with an expression of terror on his face.
The young man attempted to flee as the smaller caravan escort vehicles stopped and released golems in pursuit.
The scene was observed by a surprised Mortarion who watched from the walkway of his citadel.
From the wreckage of the creeper, a group of men and women of varying ages fled before the golems.
The boy who had taken the lead arrived towards the citadel followed by the other unfortunates.
When Mortarion met the young man's gaze. He felt a formless connection.
But suddenly, the young man turned to face the golems on his heels and saw the appearance of a strange wave in the air around his hand in a sudden and unexplained way.
This "power" caused one of the golems to fall to the ground, slender white lamprey serpents springing up from the ground and devouring their legs.
A faculty Mortarion had never seen on Necare.
The young man seeing him shouted.
Young man: "Help! Help me!"
He was knocked to the ground by the golems.
Mortarion felt a cold rage that grew hot in his stomach. He didn't know what if it was another Necare ordeal but he had had enough.
He grabbed a heavy ice ax from his citadel and flew to the boy's aid.
Mortarion: "ROOOAHHH!"
He struck and destroyed the row of golems that threatened the injured young fugitive.
Mortarion unwound the steel chain between the butt of his pepperbox pistol and the hook on his belt and twisted it into a metal whip.
He slashed the first row of golems when they came within reach.
The young man joins him in his fight with a piece of corroded copper which he used as a knife.
They slaughtered the last golems who tried to flee.
The young man turned to Mortarion.
Young man: "Thank you."
Mortarion: "..."
A war siren sounded and Mortarion realized that Necare was coming out of his mansion and would soon suffer his wrath due to his betrayal.
Mortarion: "You must go. I will hold it back. Also, thank you for allowing me to make a first choice in my life."
The young man was surprised but pulled himself together.
The young man: "Come with us. We can well hide you below."
Mortarion: "No, he'll catch up to you. If I hold him off, you'll already be way off."
The young man was confused. On the one hand he didn't want to let Mortarion get killed, on the other he was ready to accept his sacrifice.
Finally as he gazed back at the trailer, he had an idea.
The young man: "I have an idea, trust me!"
Mortarion was surprised and went down with him.
The young man entered the vehicles and manipulated the fuel lines from crawling to a stop and fuel began to leak all over the bridge.
Young man: "All he has to do is blow it all up and no one will be able to pass."
The young man ran Mortarion rushed behind him before hearing a voice that made him stop short.
Necare: "Mortarion! Come back here! Come back here if you don't want me to kill you! You will pay me dearly for this affront!"
Mortarion: "Shut up!"
He fired his pistol at the fuel which ignited and exploded.
Rockfalls completely blocked the path, separating Necare and Mortarion.
The young man: "Come. He won't be able to follow us."
Mortarion: "By the way, what's your name?"
The young man: "Calas Typhoon."
Mortarion: "Mortarion."
Calas Typhon: "I know a safe place in this valley."
They begin a long walk to arrive in the small valley.
In the middle was a town of two hundred souls called Heller's Cut.
This village was made up of only a few small houses around a common building with a low roof and collective warehouses.
He had a large field of durum wheat around the village, providing crops and fodder.
Mortarion then discovered humanity for the first time and its connection to his person.
The population was in tears of joy and affection to see their inhabitants safe and sound.
But things went wrong for Mortarion because some inhabitants looked at him with a bad eye, but also Calas Typhon as the survivors.
Inhabitant 1: "We should have left the sacrifices in the hands of Necare."
Inhabitant 2: "What? But why?"
Resident 3: "Necare is coming to take revenge on our entire village!"
Inhabitant 4: "No, it's out of the question that we send them back."
Inhabitant 5: "Let's at least kill Calas and that miserable son of that monster!"
The inhabitants began to argue among themselves.
The two companions decided to leave and settle in a stable outside the village.
Mortarion: "What a bunch of ingrates..."
Calas: "Don't blame them. They're scared."
Mortarion: "I know..."
Night fell and Mortarion heard the voices of the inhabitants take on a very strange tone.
Mortarion: "What is it?"
Calas: "Singing. We do that when we're happy."
Mortarion: "It's...beautiful."
The days that followed were full of apprehension but Necare did not come and the community ended up being reassured.
Mortarion learned to know this humanity that he had not understood until then.
But one day he and Calas left the village because most of the inhabitants despised them and were afraid.
Mortarion: "Actually Calas. Why are you rejected like that?"
Calas: "That's because I'm the bastard of a Warlord and my mother. She didn't survive the wrath of this place for long."
Mortarion: "Oh...I see."
Calas: "Don't worry, I've learned to deal with it."
The Primarch admired the resilience of these poor people.
But he felt this resentment in them as well as in himself and swore to himself that he would free them one day.
After days of walking, they arrived at another village.
Mortarion arrived in front of an old plow that was no longer in use.
He decided to dismantle it and then took a large scythe, whose shaft and dense iron crescent was far too heavy for a normal human.
Calas: "Incredible..."
Mortarion: "I know..."
Thus, they settled in the village and Mortarion joined the crowd of farmers after that. With his scythe, he slept five times more harvest than any other farmer. The other farmers sided with him to recover the grain more easily.
Gradually, Mortarion gained the respect of the townspeople.
One day, however, as evening fell. A cry of a child rings out.
Mortarion ran up and saw with other inhabitants that a child was trapped under a heavy cart.
Mortarion: "But what's going on?"
Farmer: "A wheel broke due to a hidden rut. We can't get it out!"
The villagers were trying to pull out the poor little girl who was screaming and crying.
Evening was falling quickly and the fog was descending towards the village in which things were moving.
Mortarion: "Leave it to me!"
He lifted the axle of the cart with his great strength, allowing the child to be free.
The villagers were dumbfounded but were happy to be able to retrieve the little girl again.
Villager: "Let's go to the village now! It's not safe!"
Calas: "There are enemies approaching, I can feel it."
Villager: "Watch out!"
A villager had his head cut off, causing panic. The crowd was hurrying towards the village.
The person in charge was a black shadow wearing a cape. She was followed by other spectral shapes emerging from the fog.
Mortarion: "That's not true... It's Desalem. A vassal of Necare!"
At his words, golems arrived and kidnapped villagers who hadn't had time to flee before carrying them away in the fog.
Mortarion, furious returned to take his scythe plentee in the fields and began to fight against the golems and other scepters. Mowing them down and destroying them.
Finally, he found Desalem among the specters, struck him with the flat of his scythe and executed him.
The warlord screamed in agony before disappearing.
The fog lifted, the golems fell into mere chunks of stone, and the specters evaporated.
Mortarion: "Never again..."
This act triggered the Barbarus War of Liberation.
For the next eight years. Mortarion and Calas Typhon gathered many humans and set out against the Warlords.
Mortarion recruited the bandits known as the Moody after defeating their leader. This agreement was the transfer of part of the lands of these bandits for the construction of a new city.
Stronghold was being built and stood proudly.
The first free city of Barbarus.
Its walls were high, its gates impregnable, and the guns repelled any enemy that came their way.
Mortarion then allied with the Tyrants of the Forges to manufacture weapons and armour.
Cruel beatings were organized against the Warlords. Each in turn, they were deposed, prosecuted and eliminated. Inexorably, the balance of power was always more unfavorable for them.
Mortarion formed the liberation army into the Death Guard, represented by skulls surmounted by a six-pointed star.
The Death Guard also had a tradition of drinking poisonous concoctions to gain resistance against the poisons, darkness, and pain the Warlords reserved for their enemies.
Towards the end of the war, the humans were on the verge of victory.
The Warlords were slaughtered and the rest could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
One day, Calas Typhon returned victorious from a campaign against a Warlord and encountered Mortarion.
Calas: "I learned that Necare is the last Lord. He abandoned his ally which allowed us to defeat him."
Mortarion: "I see... That's a good thing."
Calas: "What are we going to do to reach Necare? The toxic clouds protect it."
Mortarion: "The blacksmiths are making waterproof armor and then we'll leave with our best soldiers."
Necare: "I have an idea. Tell me what you think. The Warlord I defeated. I intend to get him to confess how he would use his Magick. can create golems to storm Necare's fortress."
Mortarion turned his cold gaze to his friend.
Mortarion: "No way. Their powers have done enough harm already. We can do without them. Kill him."
Calas was surprised but sighed. Mortarion had hated the Warlords so much that the use of power close to that was unacceptable to him.
Mortarion prepared the plans for the last assault then after a long period of preparation...
The expedition arrived towards the mountain of Necare.
Upon arriving, Mortarion then saw his former home, now in ruins.
Mortarion: "Hm... bad memories."
Calas: "I know..."
Mortarion: "Let's get organized and..."
Suddenly, huge balls of fire fell from Necare's mansion. Crushing the unfortunate soldiers and burning their armor and then their bodies to ashes.
Then human figures came out of the mansion with big black claws and attacked the Death Guard.
Mortarion was furious at this cowardly act on Necare's part.
Mortarion: "The wretch... Attack the mansion! Let there be nothing left!"
Calas: "No! Necare does it on purpose! He'll trap you in your anger!"
The bombardment increased and the armor ended up being damaged.
Mortarion reluctantly ordered the retreat.
Mortarion felt gigantic hatred for Necare but also angry at his soldiers for their human weakness. Reminding him of his extraordinary nature.
Mortarion returned to Stronghold with a bitter expression and an army of cripples.
Calas: "We can't reform an army like this, what are we going to do?"
Mortarion: "I need to think. Leave me alone."
Mortarion was left alone in a hall in the city and stared at the sky.
Lost in thought, he didn't know what to do. He refused to admit it but deep down he was asking for help. A providential aid. A prayer to the stars.
But nothing was coming and Mortarion was frustrated.
The next day he spoke with Calas. This one couldn't believe it.
Calas: "Have you lost your mind Mortarion?"
Mortarion: "You heard me right. I'm going to confront Necare myself. It's obvious he only wants me."
Calas: "If you die, no one will hold the warlord back!"
Mortarion: "I prefer to try a last resort. I have no other solutions left. I have even prayed to the stars for their help."
Calas remained silent and spoke in a low voice.
Calas: "Come back victorious. It's an obligation."
He left the room and Mortarion stared at the sky.
Some months later.
Mortarion had returned to the mountain of Necare in heavy, watertight armor.
He wore long spurs for the steep cliffs. His big scythe at his side and other weapons that could serve him.
As he saw the sky, he saw that a star shone brighter in the sky.
A large white star.
Mortarion didn't understand why but it reassured him for some unknown reason. A beneficial presence.
He climbed the cliff leading to the dark mansion.
The higher he climbed, the more his armor corroded, rotted and rusted from the taint of toxins.
The leather straps were dissolving. The metal was weakening.
But despite this, Mortarion continued to climb despite the fatigue and the danger.
He could feel the presence of the still large star, its light brightening the sky more, showing him the softer sides of the cliff as if that star were a guide.
Eventually he arrived at this huge, dark castle, the windows the color of intense blood as walls of black iron surrounded a tower sinking into the toxic black and orange mist.
But suddenly, Necare appeared in front of Mortarion.
Mortarion despite the surprise tried to strike him a blow with his scythe but his trembling arms made him lose all grip on the weapon. It fell to the ground and began to rot.
The poison was becoming opaque, thickening and clumping around Necare. It pierced the armor and Mortarion began to choke and choke.
Necare smiled grimly.
Necare: "You are still so pathetic. You have defeated my accomplices in vain. You will not defeat me! Now die, so that I can recover my due!"
But then Mortarion sensed that his end was near.
The star suddenly began to shine with a thousand lights and seemed to approach towards the duo.
Mortarion (in a hoarse voice): "What... is... going on?!"
The star crashed between the two fighters in a flash of light, Mortarion felt he could breathe again and the toxins evaporated.
Necare: "But what the...?!"
A woman's voice was heard.
?: "Don't touch my child."
Its light was retracting and the two were impressed. She was a woman with golden hair, eyes blue as the bottom of a pond. She shone with a twinkling light.
Necare: "Who are you?"
Woman: "The only and true mother of this boy."
Necare: "What?!"
Woman: "Yes. The only one."
Mortarion was surprised but seized on Necare's distraction, took his half-rusted scythe and ran straight for Necare.
Necare: "Mort...?!"
Mortarion: "Die! For all you've done!"
It struck Necare with terrible force and the Supreme Warlord screamed in agony.
His torso disembodied into plumes of ash that the wind blew into the sky. Necare was no more.
Mortarion: "I succeeded..."
He let himself be carried away by fatigue and fell to the ground, only to be caught by the woman.
Woman: "I found you my child... I'm so happy."
Mortarion opened his eyes and saw that he was in the valley of the village of Heller's Cut.
Voice: "He's awake! Mortarion is awake Miss Salem!"
Mortarion: "But what? Where am I?"
Villager: "You are in Heller's Cut. Don't worry, there is no more danger."
Mortarion: "I succeeded..."
A tear rolled down her cheek. Mortarion had freed Barbarus and felt reassured for the first time in his life. But remembered this mysterious woman.
Mortarion wiped away a tear.
Mortarion: "Who is this woman who brought me back?"
Villager: "A lovely woman, her name is Salem. She came from a huge starship!"
Mortarion looked out the window and saw a huge ship shining with a thousand lights in the night, it had a name written on it: Infinite.
But finally, shouts were heard from outside.
The villager went out to finally come back with someone, it was the blonde woman.
Villager: "Here's Mortarion. It's our liberator Miss Salem."
Salem: "Leave us alone."
Villager: "Of course..."
He left the room, leaving Salem and Mortarion alone.
Mortarion: "Who are you?"
Salem smiled kindly and motherly.
Salem: "I told you Mortarion. You are my child."
Mortarion frowned.
Mortarion: "Impossible! I was born on Barbarus! The Death Guard is my only family!"
Mortarion's rather vehement denial surprised Salem.
Salem: "But how would you explain that I saved you?"
Mortarion: "I prayed to the stars and they were heard. You are a woman from the stars. How can I be your son in these conditions?"
Salem put his hand on Mortarion's head.
Salem: "I'm going to show you some old memories."
Mortarion suddenly had a headache but saw he was in a room full of incubators. Among all these incubators, he saw incubator number 14 and the baby inside.
It was himself. But he also saw a person, it was the woman who was singing. A song he recognized immediately and he felt a feeling of intense familiarity.
It was real and Mortarion couldn't deny it.
His memories eventually fade and Mortarion had returned to the bedroom.
Mortarion was shocked but ended up frowning. He grabbed his mother's hand.
Mortarion: "Why?"
Salem: "What?"
Mortarion: "Why did you send me here? Why?"
Salem: "Don't jump to conclusions. Let me explain."
Mortarion was angry but decided to listen to her.
Salem: "I didn't send you to Barbarus. No mother but shrews or whores would be able to do that. No, it was the gods of chaos who ripped me from your arms and took you condemned to a miserable life. They separated you from me and your other brothers."
Mortarion was surprised but Salem continued to explain her efforts to find him with the Emperor of Mankind.
Mortarion asked him why he was created in an incubator, Salem replied that Terra was a toxic planet and that she did not want her son to die giving birth to him.
After all this, Mortarion was still angry, no longer with his mother but now with the Chaos Gods. Gods who prevented him from living with his own mother.
Salem: "Mortarion. I want you to come home. You have a family waiting for you. Besides, you have a niece who was just born."
She showed a picture of a small, white-haired, purple-eyed girl in the arms of a brown-haired woman in a large purple dress. She was at Fulgrim's side.
Salem: "Her name is Edelgard."
(Note: Yes, I will be re-adapting the character of Edelgard von Hresvelg from Fire Emblem as she is quite appropriate to be a daughter of Fulgrim. On the other hand, she will not have any features from the Fire Emblem Three Houses game. Just the appearance).
Mortarion: "And Barbarus in all this?"
Salem: "It will be the planet of the XIVth Legion. It will be very beautiful and alive."
Mortarion was clearly not motivated to lead the XIV Legion, the Legion of Dusk Raiders.
But on the other side, he owed a personal debt to Salem. Without her, he would be dead and would not have accomplished his revenge against Necare.
Salem: "I have only to appoint one of your relatives as planetary governor and he will enjoy the absolute authority of Barbarus even if he is subordinate to you."
Mortarion: "Calas Typhon will do. He's in Stronghold."
Salem: "Good. I can be with you for a few moments. To make up for lost time."
For a whole year, Salem learned to know Mortarion and approach him.
Barbarus was reborn through the terraforming and forest planting operation.
But there was still a problem.
Indeed, Salem revealed to him what were her powers as a Material Magician as well as the opposition with the Psykers.
Even though Mortarion knew that the Mages in the Space Marine Legions were the exact opposite of the Psykers. He had contempt and disgust towards them, especially since Salem told him about the existence of the Grimms.
When Salem offered Mortarion to repair his scythe and enchant it, he coldly refused, preferring to reforge it himself.
Salem was truly sad that Mortarion treated her chosen domain with such coldness and contempt.
But at the end of the year, it was time for Mortarion to leave for Terra.
Meanwhile, Calas Typhon and the original Death Guard began their transition as Space Marine protectors of Barbarus.
Mortarion: "Take care, Calas Typhon."
Calas Typhon: "Goodbye. We'll see you soon."
Salem: "Come Mortarion. It's time to go."
They entered Infinite and the Witch's fleet departed from the Barbarus system.
Some time later, Mortarion is on Terra and meets the Emperor for the first time.
Emperor: "You are back with us my son."
Mortarion: "So you are my father?"
Emperor: "Exactly. I was right to entrust your own mother with the search for the other Primarchs.
In any case, I hope you will lead your own Legion well."
Mortarion: "..."
Emperor: "You may dispose."
He left the throne room and headed down the halls. Mortarion was really disappointed with his father, he could see that this father had no consideration for him. Even if he felt good will, it was not sincere for his taste.
He arrived in another room, where he could see his niece Kariady.
A lovely woman with long golden hair who decided to go to Terra to meet her uncle Mortarion and her grandfather the Emperor.
Mortarion's opinion was neutral on the woman. She is a respectable and wise princess who had gifted Mortarion with a heavy drum-like gun to please her as her niece.
She was holding little Edelgard, a few months old, in her arms. Fulgrim's daughter who decided to entrust her to Kariady so that she could get to know her better.
Kariady: "How did it go Uncle Mortarion?"
Mortarion: "Disappointing. How can you appreciate a grandfather like him?"
Kariady: "Certainly he is apathetic. But it pleases him that he has heirs."
Mortarion: "That's just the problem. He doesn't see us as family. Only mother sees us that way."
Kariady: "Speaking of family... You should get to know Edelgard. You didn't want to approach her when she's your niece."
Mortarion: "I don't want to, that's all."
Kariady: "It's not his opinion... believe me."
Edelgard caught sight of her uncle and reached out her arms to him, stammering like the little baby she is.
Mortarion: "But what does she want?"
Kariady: "She wants you."
She approached her uncle and handed him the baby.
Mortarion reluctantly decided to take him but held him with his arms outstretched, far in front of him. While the baby laughed, thinking it was a game.
Mortarion, found his niece really annoying.
He returned Edelgard to Kariady abruptly.
Kariady was really disappointed.
Kariady: "Make an effort Uncle Mortarion. You held her like she was just a brat."
Mortarion: "Just because she's a baby doesn't mean she can afford to be so annoying."
Kariady stared at his uncle in spite.
Kariady: "If you behave like that with the other uncles and grandmother. You will end up all alone."
She sat down on the sofa in the living room and opened her dress, giving her breast to the baby who began to drink the milk.
Mortarion decided to leave, having had more than enough of the day.
Walking through the corridors, he suddenly came across a gigantic entrance under construction.
A portal nearly three hundred meters across, reinforced with an adamantium screed and surrounded by runes of ancient Terra.
?: "What are you doing here, Mortarion?"
Mortarion turned and saw Malcador the Sigilitte.
Mortarion: "What is it?"
Malcador: "It's just a simple door. Get out of here, there's nothing to see."
Mortarion: "How so? You think you can hide something from me Malcador?"
Malcador: "You don't understand..."
He put his hand on Malcador's arm and the two disappeared to reappear in the quarters of the Intendant.
Mortarion: "What are you doing, you miserable Psyker?!"
Malcador: "I told you Mortarion."
Mortarion: "Ever since I arrived on Terra. I've been waiting to go on a Crusade. Why can't I? Why am I so ignored by my father?!"
Malcador: "Not so Mortarion. Your father is not like Necare."
Barbarus' Lord of Death got angry and grabbed Malcador by the collar.
Mortarion hated Malcador due to his psyker nature but also saw him as a hypocrite who advocates atheistic Imperial Truth while bathing in sorcery.
Mortarion: "What work are you doing behind my back?"
Malcador: "I can't tell you."
Mortarion: "Wretched hypocrite. Psykers and other dark magicians. You are all despicable!"
He released Malcador.
Mortarion: "I will not go on the Great Crusade until all these wretches are out of their ranks!"
Malcador: "Speaking of that Mortarion..."
Mortarion raised his eyebrow.
Malcador: "Let me show you something."
Malcador led the Primarch to a double ebony door from his private quarters, opening into a bedroom off-limits.
The furniture consisted of a long table with a base draped in black silk.
Malcador closed the door psychically, plunging the room into velvet blackness before finally lighting up thanks to a Hololtithe that ignited on the table.
Mortarion saw that it was a map that showed a planet called Nikaea.
Mortarion could see a large arena being built with crawling Mechanicum terraforms around it.
Malcador: "Your father knows the problem that Psykers and dark magicians pose in the Legions. He works tirelessly so that the Imperium can one day do without Navigators and Space Marine Archivists. Nikaea is a planet that will serve as our court debate to decide this question. When the time is right, you can make your case in the eyes of the Imperium.
But for now, I want you to let the Psykers build the Imperium. For magicians, the Imperium cannot do without it because their magic and existence is a wall against chaos."
Mortarion was surprised at such a revelation and he calmed down.
Mortarion: "Tell me more..."
To be continued... The Compliance of the Araaki spiral.
The 4th, 7th, 1st and 5th Legion set out to conquer the Spiral of Araaki. An empire of humans known for its impregnable fortresses.