I do not own Warhammer 40,000 nor any of its characters. Those rights belong to Games Workshop. Inspired by Zahariel's Roboutian Heresy and Aurelius Rex's Dornian Heresy.

Index Astartes - The Dark Angels: Knights Uncorrupted
The Uncrowned Princes are the very definition of renegade. Bearing arms against both soldiers of Mankind and warriors of the primordial forces of Chaos, the sons of the Lion know no friends, only adversaries. Their nomadic nature threatens the Imperium at every turn, the Dark Angels having the ability to appear and disappear from any segment of humanity's realm. Contrary to the rest of his fallen kin, the Primarch known as Lion El'Jonson resists the seductive whispers of the Ruinous Pantheon, his nobility and honour remaining as a foul and twisted thing. Although engaged with the corrupted Imperial Fists in the Third Sarumian War, the Imperium is ever on standby, should the first of the Astartes launch an offensive…

"And the angels of darkness descended upon pinions of fire and light…the great and terrible dark angels."

-Luther Of Caliban, upon the arrival of the Adeptus Astartes on Caliban.

Origins

The Dark Angels can trace their heritage as the first of the Astartes Legions created by The Emperor Of Mankind, though their origins are shrouded in mystery. All that is known is that the Dark Angels were the first of the Legions to be deployed in the Unification Wars, violently quelling any foe they were ordered to bring to their knees. Near the end of the Unification Wars, the Dark Angels were assigned to the Imperial Palace, just in time for the event known as the Palace Coup. The last of the Thunder Warriors assaulted the Imperial Palace, attempting to end the Master Of Mankind as blood payment for his culling of them. Despite being taken by surprise and being individually outmatched by the Thunder Warriors, the Dark Angels' superior tactics and organisation allowed them to combat the Thunder Warriors, successfully beating back the outdated Thunder Warriors, killing any who resisted and arresting those who did not. During the Great Crusade, the Dark Angels worked closely with the future White Scars and Iron Warriors, and if the three legions were combined against one opponent, many believed that that opponent would fall with ease. Sometime in the Great Crusade, the Dark Angels would find their father, the mighty Lion El'Jonson.

A Son Of The Forest

Little is known of the First Primarch's childhood. The Lion, being one of the many Primarchs scattered by the Pantheon Of Chaos, had survived for over a decade alone in the feral jungles of Caliban. Even as a young child, the Lion hunted the Beasts Of Caliban, great predators twisted by the Warp's malicious inhabitants. The Primarch was discovered as a grown savage, in possession of unparalleled strength and a keen mind. His discoverers: the Order.

After the collapse of Humanity and the ushering of Old Night, the Calibanites had reverted to a state of feudality. Chivalry guided the blades of the techno-knights, and they swore blood oaths to extinguish the line of the Beasts. Despite his companions' intentions to kill the savage and be done with it, the knight known as Luther saw the potential. Luther recognised that a man could be moulded from the beast. With his high standing and innate charisma, Luther was able to convince his comrades to lay down their arms, and bring the savage man with them to their fortress-monastery, within which Luther would bless the Primarch with a name: "Son Of The Forest", or "Lion El'Jonson". With the parental guidance of Luther, the Lion surpassed the other knights in swordsmanship, height and strength, growing to become the greatest warrior and strategist ever seen in Caliban's history, in mere months. Together, utilising the Lion's cunning and Luther's charisma, the pair united the Calibanite Knightly Orders, including the devious Knights Of Lupus, into a mighty force, with the sole goal being the complete and utter eradication of the Beasts. With the might of Caliban's knightly orders behind them, Luther and the Lion launched their crusade, destroying the Beasts Of Caliban through their superior tactics and organisation. The Lion became revered as a demigod, his might in combat and his very presence could not be achieved by a mere man. Yet the various orders argued over their reverence of their lord. Luther's Order believed that the Lion was a demigod, but should be treated as a lord, not a deity. On the other side, the Knights Of Lupus worshipped the Lion as a being of the warp, a gift and a blessing from their twisted gods. During the crusade against the Beasts, the Grandmaster of the Knights Of Lupus, Lord Sartana, began to whisper tales into the Primarch's ear. Throughout the war, the Lion fell deeper and deeper into the lies of the Knights Of Lupus, creating a rift between he and his fatherly figure. The Grandmaster of the Knights Of Lupus swayed many to his order with the titanic library of sacred texts held within their fortress-monastery, except for the cynical Luther. Lord Sartana and his knightly order delved into the warp, seeking methods to turn the Lion to their Dark Gods. With the aid of Tzeentch's daemonic disciples, Sartana successfully manipulated portions of the Lion's mind and soul, though the Lion stubbornly refused to give in to the whispers.

After uniting Caliban, the Imperium reached the Primarch's homeworld, the Master Of Mankind at the helm of the Expedition. The Lion, Luther, and their companions all welcomed the Emperor's arrival, and the Emperor congratulated the Knights for their campaign, bravery and honour. Their reward: the knights would ascend to become the first of the Calibanite Astartes. Under his leadership, the Lion reformed his legion from the Uncrowned Princes, to the notorious and secretive Dark Angels of the 31st Millennium.

The Great Crusade

With one of the strongest legions under his command, the Lion and the Dark Angels were amongst the first to enter the Great Crusade, achieving the highest amount of compliances of all legions. However, cracks in the Lion's mind began to appear during the Rangdan Xenocides. The Rangda, a proud and powerful race of xenos, posed the greatest threat to the Imperium in its history. With orders from their father, the Lion and Leman Russ launched a costly campaign against the aliens, resulting in almost a third of the Legion falling in battle. The Lion expressed resentment and bitterness at the Emperor's decision to send his sons into a warzone that resulted in the death of 50,000 of his Astartes. Their heroism and sacrifice had built his father's realm, secured it, and ensured its prosperity. And they earnt nothing. Lord Sartana preached this idea to all who would listen, being threatened numerous times for his blasphemy. Yet these words began to trickle into the Lion's already fragile mind.

Much later on, the Dark Angels were assigned to oversee the compliance of Four Three, known as Sarosh. Whilst the Sarosi bureaucracy blamed their long compliance on issues with their bureaucratic system, Luther and Chief Librarian Zahariel discovered a Sarosi atomic warhead aboard the Dark Angels' flagship. With the Lion and many high ranking Astartes and officers of the Astra Militarum aboard the vessel, the explosion caused by the warhead would cause untold amounts of damage to the Imperium's military. Without a second thought, the First Captain ejected the warhead, saving many of his brothers and his primarch. Bringing the news to the Lion, the Dark Angels landed on Sarosh and began a purge, cleansing the planet of the Chaos Cult hidden beneath its surface. During the battle, the Sarosi summoned a Daemon of Chaos onto the planet's surface, which wreaked havoc amongst the Dark Angels. Storming ahead, the Lion duelled the Daemon, which attempted to veer the primarch's loyalties to Chaos. Whilst doubt did seep into the Lion's mind, he nevertheless banished the creature from Realspace, ending the Pacification Of Sarosh.

Despite First Captain Luther's heroism, the Chief Librarian Zahariel, who had fallen to the teachings of the Knights Of Lupus, spun a web of lies. He recognised the danger Luther posed to the Knights Of Lupus and, as such, viewed him as a threat to be dealt with. Zahariel told the Lion that Luther had hesitated and, even worse, considered not ejecting the warhead. In a fit of rage, the Lion struck the man who had raised him as his own son and banished Luther and a portion of the legion back to Caliban. Luther's shock at the situation was evident as the First Captain never expected his friend Zahariel to twist words and partake in plots to exile Luther. Regardless, the First Captain did his duty, abandoning the Great Crusade to return to his home. But Luther's loyalty was never even swayed slightly. Not once. With his voice of reason returned to Caliban, the Lion had nothing to restrain his fury and no counsellors who did not serve the interests of themselves and the Knights Of Lupus, with the exception of Captain-Paladin Corswain, who attempted to serve as the caution required by the legion in Luther's absence. But Corswain's efforts went to waste on the planet of Dulan.

A joint force of Space Wolves and Dark Angels had assembled to combat the Faash. The Lord Of The First had assured the Wolf King of the chance to take the head of the Tyrant Durash before the attack. Together, Lion El'Jonson and Leman Russ assaulted the Tyrant's Palace but, in the heat of the moment, the Lion decapitated the Tyrant. Denied of his chance at glory and pride, the Primarch of the VI Legion drew his chainsword, Krakenmaw, and lunged at the Lion. The Primarchs fought across the throne room, Russ launching many savage strikes in an attempt to wound and potentially kill his brother. The Lion disarmed Russ, who proceeded to tackle the Lion off of a parapet and into the courtyard below. Now with no blades, the pair fought unarmed, throwing punches with the strength to tear an Astartes in half. A crowd of Astartes had began to amass around their Primarchs, cheering for their progenitors and even placing bets. Space Wolves and Dark Angels engaged in verbal and physical disputes as to the outcome of the brawl. Revelling in the pleasure of the fight, Russ laughed, giving the Lion the opportunity to strike his insane brother, knocking Russ out. The Lion would have slain the Wolf King there and then, if not for the intervention of Corswain, who cautioned restraint. Little did Corswain know that heeding restraint would doom the galaxy. Begrudgingly, the Lion and the Dark Angels withdrew from Dulan, leaving the Space Wolves to aid their Primarch.

The Knights Of Lupus, upon discovering of the Warrior Lodges embedded within other legions like the Luna Wolves, contacted the Word Bearers, establishing their own sects of Warrior Lodges, within which many Dark Angels had the seeds of mistrust and loathing sown within their consciousness, both directed at an absent Emperor. Many of these Dark Angels were champions of their legions and heroes of the Imperium. Zahariel, Alajos, Holguin, Farith Redloss and Astelan all became members of the Lodges and their influence led many to fall into the arms of the Knights Of Lupus.

The Heresy

In spite of the Knights Of Lupus' best efforts, the Lion did not fully fall to their teachings, yet it was evident he had been affected by them. Through a combination of Chaos sorcery and the charisma of the Lion's closest allies, the Primarch began to felt bitter. Bitter at being overlooked for the role of Warmaster, bitter at his legion always being the ones to engage the most dangerous threats, and bitter at the Emperor for abandoning the Great Crusade. During a particularly brutal pacification, the Lion's mental fortitude broke, and the Primarch went on a mad massacre, viciously killing innocent civilians and ferocious foe. Realising his mistake and with the words of Alajos, the Lion and the majority of his legion grimly accepted the truth of the matter, and secretly declared for Ferrus Manus, whom they believed would shield them from the Emperor's wrath. After summoning Luther and the Dark Angels he led back to the main force of the legion, the Lion, Vulkan, Corvus Corax and the Warmaster amassed on Isstvan III under the guise of putting down the rebellion led by Vardus Praal. The first wave consisted of Dark Angels under Corswain, Iron Hands under Amadeus DuCaine, Raven Guard under Torisian and the Salamanders under Cassian Vaughn. The first wave dropped onto Isstvan III, though the first indications of treachery in the Warmaster's plans began to show. Luther and his few followers were positioned aboard their frigate, part of the Dark Angels' fleet. The Lion attempted to coerce Luther to the side of the traitors, yet refused to send him to the surface of Isstvan III, wishing to keep his comrade alive.

The Raven Guard and Salamanders dropped directly onto the Choral City, trapping the Marines within the city and unable to gain reinforcements. The Iron Hands and Dark Angels dropped outside of the City, launching an assault from the outside. Under Amadeus DuCaine and Corswain, the Iron Hands and Dark Angels broke through the city's defences, relieving the Blood Angels and Raven Guard. Iron Father Sabik Wayland and Nykona Sharrowkyn led the Astartes into the Precentor's Palace, with the pair killing many Warsingers. Sharrowkyn himself with his black blades slew Vardus Praal, taking the rebel's head.

With the majority of the loyalist elements of the traitor legions trapped in the Choral City, Ferrus Manus ordered the Virus Bombs on the traitor fleet to be fired on the Astartes on Isstvan. Yet the Salamander Forgefather T'kell flew down from the Salamanders' fleet to warn the loyalists on Isstvan. After flying directly in the line of fire of Luther, who was placed on a Dark Angel ship, the two Marines argued, before Luther accepted T'kell's words and allowed the Salamander to reach the surface. Luther and the Dark Angels under his command then proceeded to flee the system, evading the traitor fleet in a suicidal rush to reach Terra and inform the Emperor of the betrayal. After the planet was consumed by the corroding Life Eater Virus, the Fist Of Iron ignited the Virus, incinerating the planet. However, the traitors were astounded upon realising that a large portion of the loyalists had survived, and were now preparing for another attack and shoring up defences.

After the Primarch of the Salamanders discovered it was one of his sons who had thwarted the plan, Vulkan raged, dropping onto the surface with many of his legionnaires to massacre the remaining traitors. With master strategists such as Amadeus DuCaine, Corswain, Sabik Wayland and Cassian Vaughn, the loyalists managed to engage in guerrilla warfare, weakening the traitors whilst continuously retreating to the main defences in the Choral City. The Lion, disappointed in his comrade's incompetence, refused to lend his legion to assist Vulkan's siege of the Choral City, instead directing his efforts to tracking Luther and preparing for the next stages of the Heresy. Many weeks passed, and thousands of traitor soldiers had died attacking the loyalists. But their defence was compromised after the spiteful Nykona Sharrowkyn betrayed the loyalists, killing Lord Commander Amadeus DuCaine and sneaking a force of Iron Hands and Raven Guard into the Precentor's Palace. With their advantage in ruins, the Lion finally ordered his legion to drop within the Choral City, decimating the few remaining loyalists as the Salamanders, Iron Hands and Raven Guard encircled the final marks of resistance. The traitors' plan had succeeded, though at a much higher cost than expected.

Isstvan III was over, and the Dark Angels followed Ferrus Manus to Isstvan V to await the arrival of the seven Astartes legions assigned to put down the traitors. After preparing the planet for Imperial arrival, the first three legions arrived: the Emperor's Children, the World Eaters and the Death Guard. As the World Eaters pushed up the depression to reach the traitors' artillery, they were countered by the Dark Angels, their charge spearheaded by the Lion himself. The Lion elegantly slew World Eater after World Eater, before coming face-to-face with Angron, who was stained with the blood of Dorn. As the Red Angel prepared to ravage his former brother, the reinforcements of the Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, Word Bearers and Alpha Legion appeared on the ridge above the depression. A grin spread across Angron's face, which was quickly wiped off as the four legions opened fire on the loyalists. The Lion revelled in seeing the horror on Angron's face as his sons were gunned down, before that horror contorted into pure, unfiltered rage. Angron threw himself at the Lion and the primarchs grappled at eachother, punched eachother and carved eachother up with their weapons. Angron gained the upper hand, pummelling the Lion against the ground and beating his face into the ground. But in a moment of oversight, the Lion regained his blade and impaled Angron, seemingly killing the Primarch. Moments before the Lion was about to stab Angron again, Captain Ehrlen of the World Eaters charged at the Lion, taking him off guard and giving the remaining World Eaters the chance to save their lord, extracting him to a ship to escape Isstvan. Despite the Captain's efforts, the Lion cleaved him in half with relative ease.

The Battle Of Isstvan V had gone worse than expected for the traitor legions. None of the loyalist Primarchs had been felled in combat, and one of the legions, the Death Guard, had escaped relatively intact. The traitors convened after the massacre, all waiting for the Warmaster's orders. With Ferrus Manus' suspicious of the Lion's true objectives and loyalties, Ferrus Manus assigned the Dark Angels and Raven Guard to finish off the remainders of the World Eaters and end the Night Lords. The Lion reluctantly obeyed the Warmaster's orders and led his legion with the Raven Guard to what would become Imperium Secundus.

But before that, the Lion needed to settle an important matter. The Lion and a portion of the Dark Angels jumped to Prospero, just in time to encounter the White Scars. The Lion and the Deathwing arrived in Tizca, meeting Jaghatai Khan and a shard of Magnus. Whilst the Lion expressed disgust at Russ' actions, he attempted regardless to persuade the Khan to join the traitors. He stated that the Emperor was a tyrant, who was inevitably going to purge the Astartes once he had no use for them, as he did the Thunder Warriors. They were tools, effective, but purposeless in a peaceful galaxy. The Lion's words made the Khan doubt, but the Khan's level head led to him securing his mind. The Khan was aware of the corruption filling the traitors' ranks, and he recognised the Emperor's status as a tyrant. But there is no greater tyrant than the Dark Pantheon. Drawing his blade, Jaghatai prayed his brother would open his eyes to the truth, and they clashed. The two Primarchs were both masters of bladework, and their swords were masterforged and unrivalled in quality. Yet the intervention of the White Scars allowed the Khan to escape. His attempt at persuasion had failed. The Lion returned to his fleet above Prospero and, after a brief battle with the White Scars above Prospero, the Dark Angels withdrew to join up with Corvus Corax and the Raven Guard. During the journey to join forces with the XIX Legion, the Lion brooded on Ferrus Manus and his intentions for humanity. The Lion had turned traitor to see humanity freed, not annihilated. For this reason, the Primarch deemed weapons in the Dark Angels' vaults too dangerous, and had them destroyed to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.

The Bane Of Imperium Secundus

The Lion and Corvus joined up at Mezoa, where the traitors agreed to besiege the Carrion World of Tsagualsa, a Night Lords' recruitment world, to weaken the VIII Legion and grant Corvus a base from which the Ravenlord could launch many offensives. During the organisation of their operations, the Lion was able to sense Nurgle's stain on Corax's soul. The doubt, despair, hopelessness. The fear. The Lion was able to sense it all, and the Primarch confronted his brother. Corax expressed his regret accepting Nurgle, but what else could he do in the face of an inevitable doom. Disgusted, the Lion turned his back on the Ravenlord, refusing to fight side-by-side with someone so cowardly. However, necessity forced the Dark Angels and Raven Guard to fight alongside eachother, in order to prevent their destruction at the hands of Curze's Assassins. Under Holguin of the Deathwing, a Dark Angels taskforce invaded Tsagualsa alongside the bulk of the Raven Guard. Holguin led the charge with the Terminator elite of Deathwing, shattering the Night Lords' defences and killing many, including Captain Krukesh the Pale. Aided by Agapito Nev and his Raven Guard, Holguin succeeded in breaking the last of the Night Lords and forcing them into Tsagualsa's catacombs. Orders from Lion El'Jonson delegated the hunt of the last Night Lords in the catacombs to the Raven Guard, allowing Holguin and Deathwing back to the primary Dark Angel force.

Against Curze's guerrilla tactics and Khârn's berserk intelligence, the traitor legions were locked in a stalemate, unable to push deeper into the Night Haunter's realm without sustaining enormous casualties. More than once, the Dark Angels, experts in fluidity and adaptable tactics, were unable to break the Night Lords. The VIII Legion haunted the Dark Angels, fighting without honour, mercy or dignity. The entire populations of worlds would be flayed, and sent to the I Legion as gifts, horrifying the Dark Angels. For many months, the war did not advance nor retreat, remaining a violent stalemate. Then, receiving news of the Shadow Crusade's success and the formation of the Ruinstorm, the Dark Angels and the Raven Guard launched a reformed offensive against the newly formed Imperium Secundus, beating back the World Eaters and Ultramarines at Bodt.

Wars were fought across Imperium Secundus for many years, but the loyalists slowly pushed back the traitors to Mezoa and Tsagualsa until the Thramas Crusade, led by the Lion against the Night Haunter. The Dark Angels' first act was to subdue Triplex, securing a solid route to both Ultramar and Nostramo, the homes of the two largest loyalist legions on that side of the Ruinstorm. With the help of the Raven Guard, the Dark Angels struck at the Tithe Road, where the Dark Angels and the Lion first became horrified at the cruelty and savagery of the falling Raven Guard. Deserting his depraved allies, the Lion attacked Thule, capturing the Mechanicum's techpriests and many of their weapons, which became a major asset for the Dark Angels' Crusade. Upon capturing and torturing an Ultramarine captain, the traitors learnt of the loyalists amassing on the Forge World of Gulgorahd. Corvus and the Lion mounted another attack, though the Lion was not present. In his stead, Holguin led the Dark Angels contingent that attacked Gulgorahd, achieving their goal. But due to overexposure to the Nurgle-corrupted Raven Guard, Holguin too began to fall to the Plague God. Holguin and his Nurglite Dark Angels returned to the Lion, attempting to convert their primarch to the word of Chaos. In a moment of rage, the Lion butchered his fallen sons, appalled that they had fallen to Chaos and staining their honour, though Holguin was later resurrected as a Champion Of Nurgle.

The Lion did not sense any feelings of surprise, awe or sadness at the sight of Holguin's decaying form. Instead, a cold, simmering anger took its place. Holguin knelt, or tried to kneel. His mass and bulk prevented him from kneeling extravagantly as he was once prone to do. Rather, he collapsed onto one knee and bowed his head. From beneath his putrid helm, a collection of vermin and pests dropped onto the floor of the Invincible Reason from droplets of pus. Maggots and leeches dragged themselves away, whilst cockroaches and centipedes scurried away and down ventilation shafts.
"Fathe-"
"Do not finish that word, Holguin." The Primarch cut off Holguin with an eerily calm voice. Holguin raised his head to view his Primarch, and saw the stern visage he had taken on. The Lion could sense Holguin smile beneath the repulsive mask.
"Father," Holguin finished the word with a sickly sweet voice, deliberately spiting the Lion, "can you not see the purity Nurgle has granted me? This is the true nature of the universe, this is the perpetual cycle of life and death, this is peace." The surrounding Deathwing sensed the Lion's anger and, without warning or orders, withdrew from the chamber. Holguin rose, resting his hand on the pox-ridden blade at his waist.

"Embrace Nurgle, Father, and you could-" Holguin's attempts at conversion were cut short when his head exploded in an eruption of necrotic flesh and organs. The cadaver collapsed to the ground, the Lion standing over it with a bloody gauntlet. Clad in ebony plate, Farith Redloss entered the chamber, hand firmly clutching the hilt of his sheathed greatsword.
"My lord? Your orders?" The Lieutenant of Deathwing knew what was to come, the Lion was sure of it.
"Farith," the Lion could barely speak the words through his anger, "kill them all."

With Gulgorahd under their control, the Lion refused to consort with the forces of Nurgle any longer and traversed the Ruinstorm, abandoning the Thramas Crusade.

Now without an adversary, Lion El'Jonson commanded his legion to assist the Alpha Legion in their hunt for the White Scars. Due to their duel on Prospero, the primarch of the Dark Angels harboured a personal vendetta against his former friend and fellow primarch, Jaghatai Khan. For over a year did the Dark Angels pursue the V Legion, and to no avail. The White Scars' style of hit-and-run warfare alongside the disunity amongst the ranks of the I Legion prevented the Dark Angels from making any continuous progress. Eventually, the Lion succeeded in contacting the Alpha Legion, which was also hunting the White Scars. Arriving at the Kalium Gate, the Dark Angels allied themselves with the Alpha Legionnaires commanded by Harrowmaster Armillus Dynat. Together, the first and last legions prepared an ambush for the White Scars, as aboard the Kalium Gate lay the item sought by the Khan Of Khans: a shard of Magnus the Red. Without warning, the White Scars attacked the Gate, taking the Dark Angels and Alpha Legion by surprise. The Dark Angels fought valiantly, repelling charge after charge of the V Legion. But the attacks were merely a diversion, as Jaghatai Khan launched the true offensive on the other side of the Gate. They took the Alpha Legion at unawares, and Armillus Dynat was severely wounded and slain by Qin Xa, Master of the Keshig. As the White Scars pushed further towards Magnus' shard, the Lion redirected his Dark Angels to assist the Alpha Legionnaires, whilst the primarch himself would guard the shard. As the Lion brooded over the Heresy and conversed with the shard of Magnus, Jaghatai Khan appeared, sword in hand. He and the Lion traded words, remorsefully recounting their friendship before the Heresy. With no other choice, words became blows, as the Lion and the Warhawk lunged at eachother, engaging in one of the most elegant duels ever seen. The blade work of both primarchs was impeccable, and their speed was such that even Astartes could not maintain view of the duel. As they bandied blades, Qin Xa and Revuel Arvida extracted the shard of Magnus, before confirming to their primarch that they had secured the shard. His mission had been completed, and the Khan needed to escape. The Lion, realising the situation, increased the strength of his blows, forcing the Khan onto the defensive. Eventually, the Lion's sword found a hole in the Khan's defence, and the Lion slashed his brother across the thigh. In that same moment, the Khan drew his archaeotech pistol and shot his foe numerous times. With that, the Khan forced the Lion out of an airlock and onto the outside of the Kalium Gate, allowing the White Scars to escape. Enraged, the Lion rampaged across the outside of the Gate, decapitating White Scars with punches, tearing their spines out, and tearing them in half, until every White Scar was either dead or out of his grasp. Once the Lord Of The First had returned to tranquillity, he ordered that his sons activate the gate, and bring the legion to Ullanor, at the behest of the Warmaster.

During the warped and twisted re-enactment of the Triumph Of Ullanor, the Lion engaged in several arguments and conflicted with his brothers, the most notable of these being with the harsh Rogal Dorn, though Ferrus' charisma managed to prevent the two from escalating into a duel. Still holding respect for Ferrus Manus despite his chaotic taint, the Lion formulated the plans of the Solar War alongside Ferrus Manus and, reluctantly, Rogal Dorn.

The Lion's Refusal

The last few major strategic points of the Solar System had fallen and under strict orders from Ferrus Manus, the Lion commanded the bombardment of Holy Terra, probing the planet's defences and seeking a weakness which the traitors could exploit. The fault of Bastion-16 of the Aegis was revealed to the traitors, who infiltrated the Bastion to disable the Aegis around that sector. As the last level-headed and restrained of the traitors excluding Ferrus Manus, the Warmaster instructed the Lion to capture and imprison the rampaging Vulkan within the Alpha Legion's flagship, the Beta. The Lion succeeded in his task, temporarily duelling Vulkan until the Lion pinned his brother to the ground with his blade and punching him with such force that he incapacitated the Khornate Daemon before teleporting him to within the depths of the Alpha Legion's labyrinthian Beta, trapping Vulkan for use at a later time.

"Blood for the Blood God!" Vulkan bellowed from his draconic maw, bringing Urdrakule down on the Lion's guard once more. The thunder hammer and the Lion Sword collided in an explosion of sparks. The Lion stepped aside as Vulkan swung Urdrakule again, watching as the hammerhead tore through reality. The air around Vulkan's hammer was set alight, scorching any too near. Vulkan lashed out once more, his speed shattering time and space. The hammer crashed into the Lion's pauldron, cracking and melting the ceramite. Pain flared throughout the Lion's body as his vision blurred. Visions of the Emperor, of the Dark Angels, of everything he'd ever been willing to die for appeared in front of him. There was no redemption possible for the First Son.

The sound of a tear in the fabrics of reality returned to the Lion to his senses. He raised his blade, parrying Urdrakule once more. Today was not the day he'd die. The pain from Vulkan's attack remained, blood seeping from the wound as the Lion felt shattered bones and ligaments twist and burn. And yet impossibly, the Lion raised his sword over his shoulder, bringing it down in a wide arc. Vulkan made no attempt to evade the strike, only propelling himself forwards with his ashen wings. In a strike too fast for an Astartes to comprehend, the Lion Sword ripped through Urdrakule's handle, sending the head into the surrounding depths. The blade continued its path, slicing through scaled armour and embedding itself within Vulkan's chest. The Primarch Of Khorne howled in fury, but the blade did not deter his onslaught. The Lion watched on in amazement as Urdrakule regenerated, returning back to its pristine form within Vulkan's grip. Urdrakule was brought down again. With his sword lodged in Vulkan's abdomen, the Lion resorted to avoiding the blow. The hammer sent a shockwave of unparalleled proportions through the ground.

The Primarch rose, staggering back to his feet. Vulkan glared at his former kinsman, before grasping the Lion Sword by its handle and withdrawing it from his chest, throwing it towards the Lion. Despite his surprise at this unexpected act of honour, the Lion remained stoic, picking up his weapon and gripping it tightly in a two-handed stance, preparing for another flurry of blows.
"Look at yourself, Vulkan, and the failure you have become." Lion El'Jonson stated with grim resolve. "Relying on your slaver's powers instead of your own. The Lord Of Drakes, reduced to a puppet." Vulkan was sent into a rage, roaring with peerless ferocity. Vulkan flapped his reptilian wings, sending shockwaves through the air which the Lion barely avoided. Urdrakule crackled back to life in his hands, black fire and red lightning coursing through it, before Vulkan lunged at the Lion, arcing Urdrakule in an upwards blow.

"I am no puppet!" Urdrakule was sent flying out of Vulkan's hands as the Lion bashed Vulkan's hands with his blade's pommel. Balling a hand, the Lion threw a punch into Vulkan's visage, shattering a jaw and knocking the Dragonlord to the floor. The Lion raised his sword over his head, before thrusting in a downwards motion. The point pierced ceramite, scales and bone, impaling Vulkan's shoulder and pinning him to the ground. Vulkan writhed and wriggled, roaring as he attempted to break free from his imprisonment, to no avail. The Lion withdrew a homer, planting it on Vulkan's warplate. Despite Khorne's influence, Vulkan maintained a Primarch's intelligence and realised the Lion's intentions. Vulkan screamed once more, before disappearing from the Flamewrought.

After the traitors had penetrated the Aegis and capturing many strategic locations, the Lion was assigned to launch the final breakthrough on the Imperial Palace's defences, allowing the Warmaster to confront and kill their father. During this mission, the Lion came across his wayward son, the Paladin Corswain. Shocked and saddened at the idea of having to slay his favourite son with his own hands, the Lion attempted to reason with Corswain, trying every possible route of diplomacy in order to avoid Corswain's death. Yet Corswain refused the Lion's offers at every turn, only antagonising his gene-father, though it is stated the Paladin felt depression and pain at the reunion. Both men drew their blades. This fight was not to be between Primarch and Astartes, nor Fallen against Righteous. This fight was between father and son. Corswain and the Lion duelled viciously, with Malcador and Luther's psychic mights empowering Corswain and granting the Paladin the strength, speed and endurance to cross blades with a primarch. Despite all his skill and power, Corswain remained an Astartes, the Lion was a Primarch, a being beyond the comprehension of a mortal mind. With no other choice, the Lion broke his restraints and finally impaled his son on his sword. In a last act of defiance, the dying Corswain gripped the Lion's blade and dragged his body further down the sword, before plunging his own blade deep into the Lion's chest.

"Look at you, Father, and the creature you have become." Corswain spat out through broken teeth, blood trickling down his chin. The Lion raised his sword and buried his feet into the ground, preparing to defend another onslaught, another flurry of blows from his son. The ground around them was decorated with corpses of hundreds, human, abhuman and superhuman. Around Corswain, the bodies of a dozen dead Dark Angels lay, their black warplate cleaved and carved by the blade in his hands.

"Everything that has occurred, the Warmaster's fall, Sanguinius' insanity, it is all the fault of that deceiver in that palace. I have already told you of what he intends for the Adeptus Astartes." Even as the Primarch spoke those words, he felt uncertainty seep into his mind and line his words. Corswain laughed, a bitter and mocking laugh that infuriated the Lion. Many of Corswain's bones had been shattered, broken through the sheer strain of duelling a Primarch. Yet through the pain, through the suffering, Corswain raised his sword once more, his gauntleted hands gripping the golden hilt tightly. His blade radiated with holy light, blinding the Lion as it cast its glory unto the depressed landscape.

"You may continue lying to yourself Father," Corswain spat out that last word. "But know this: as long as I still possess the strength to hunt you, I will. One of us dies here today. I would rather you die sword in hand, then as the snivelling coward you are."

Horrified at the realisation of Corswain's death and severely wounded at Corswain's blade, the Lion held his son's body and carried it back to the Invincible Reason, the Dark Angels' flagship. Whilst the traitors continued their Siege Of Terra, battling their loyalist kin and falling at the hands of the Primarchs, the Lion secluded himself from his legion, meditating within his chambers and brooding over the events that had passed. With Corax's blighted soul, Vulkan's incessant rage, Dorn's arrogance and his favoured son's death at his own hands, the Lion at last left his chambers and regained control of the Dark Angels with one order: withdraw. The Lion held no loyalty to the Emperor, but he refused to fight alongside depraved creatures of the warp, especially depraved creatures of the warp that had once been his beloved brothers and their sins. The vast majority of the Dark Angels obeyed the order, abandoning their respective tasks and regrouping within their fleet, though a few under the command of notable fallen Angels such as the returned Nurglite Holguin remained on Terra. The Lion and his legion left the Solar System. Though as a display of his true renegade nature, the Lion attacked the traitors assaulting the shipyards of Jupiter, relieving the loyalists and allowing the repair of the loyalist fleets. As the Dark Angels prepared to depart the Sol System, they encountered the Luna Wolves, commanded by the resurrected Horus Lupercal. As the XVI Legion prepared for battle, Horus felt shocked when the Lion established contact. The Lion expressed his regret, his doubt and admitted his mistakes. Horus attempted to plead with his brother, promising to defend him from their kin if he redeemed himself and joined Horus. For once, the Lion felt an emotion other than anger, other than rage: sadness. Sadness in its truest form, endless and all-consuming. In his eyes, redemption was impossible for he and his legion. The Dark Angels fled the system, remaining intact due to Horus' mercy. But before their departure, the Lion stated his last words to Horus: "Forgive me."

As these events came to pass, Luther, head of Malcador the Sigilite's Knights-Errant, had been merged with one of Magnus the Red's shards, elevating him beyond the power of a regular Astartes. Whilst not as powerful as a Primarch, Luther suddenly possessed the abilities to repel Daemons with ease, turning him into a key asset for the loyalist war effort. As his fellow Knights-Errant were moved to Titan to form the Grey Knights, Luther, alongside Corswain of the Dark Angels and Durun Atticus of the Iron Hands, both fellow Knights-Errant, elected to assist the loyalist during the Siege Of Terra. Both Luther and Corswain became feared throughout the traitor legions. Rumours began to spread that they were not mortal, instead being the spirits of long dead loyalists, risen from the grave and seeking vengeance for their dead kin. The two would claim the heads of many foes, such as those of Agapito Nev of the Raven Guard, and Nemiel of the Dark Angels. After Corswain's death, Luther was enraged, losing control of his immense psychic powers. The effects were disastrous. All around Luther, even the most strong-willed Astartes had their minds melted from the force of Luther's rage. Daemons within a large radius of him were suddenly banished screaming into the warp. The Knight Of Grey transformed into a demigod of war, overpowering daemons, vaporising traitor Astartes, and even battling a Keeper Of Secrets and forcing it to kneel, before he cleaved it in half and banished it. Afterwards, Luther was horrified at the damage he had caused. Blinded by his anger, he had inadvertently killed fellow loyalists, and brought down Imperial fortifications. Luther vowed that, from then on, he would never allow himself to lose control of his powers, lest he suffer the consequences of actions that could've been easily averted.

Caliban's Destiny

Now alone and sworn to no master, the Dark Angels aimed to return to their homeworld of Caliban and carve out their own empire from the ashes of the Imperium, free from the Emperor and Chaos. However, upon reaching Caliban, the I Legion found their home in pieces, shattered by the rampaging Angron. With the help of psykers like Zahariel, the Dark Angels managed to piece their fragmented home into a weapon of war: the Rock. The Rock became the Lion's personal ship and head of the Dark Angel fleet, whilst the Gloriana Class Invincible Reason became the personal ship of the Lion's second, Alajos.

With no clear future, the Lion led his fleet across the galaxy during the Great Scouring, raiding and killing loyalists and traitors alike. Dark Angel warbands and splinter fleets aided both sides, until they turned and gunned down their supposed allies and claiming the dead's assets as their own. Because of this, the Dark Angels are incredibly powerful, a grave threat to both Chaos and Humanity. The Lion even gained enough strength and manpower to launch a direct assault on the Imperium, culminating in the Battle Of Artemia Majoris, where the Lion and the Dark Angels confronted Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramarines. Amidst the carnage, the Lion and Guilliman fought, neither Primarch obtaining an edge due to the Lion restraining so as to not wound his brother. But with the arrival of the White Scars led by Jaghatai Khan, the Dark Angels were forced to retreat. As the Lion attempted to withdraw to his legion, Roboute Guilliman continued to pursue the Lion, cleaving the Gladius Incandor with bloody vengeance. The Lion responded by disarming Guilliman and slashing his sword across his brother's jugular. Due to Guilliman's superhuman physiology, he remained conscious long enough to hear the Lion's sincerity and apology, before passing out. The Lion and the Dark Angels fled from Artemia Majoris, never again to launch a war of such a scale against the Imperium.

The Chivalrous Reavers

Since their defeat on Artemia Majoris, the Dark Angels have launched nought but small skirmishes and raids on Imperial Space. Instead, the Lion's Sons are engaged in the Sarumian Wars, a conflict between the Dark Angels and the Imperial Fists, two of the largest traitor legions. The Sarumian Wars have wreaked absolute havoc on the world of Sarum and the region of space surrounding the Maelstrom. As of the Indomitus Crusade, the Dark Angels are fighting in the Third Sarumian War, currently supported by the infamous and politically fickle Spider, Fabius Bile.

The First Sarumian War began shortly after the Dark Angels fled from Artemia Majoris, arriving in the Maelstrom. Within the Maelstrom, the I Legion sought the world of Sarum, a former Forge World now in the possession of Fabius Bile and his coalition of Dark Mechanicum and traitor Astartes. On Sarum, the Dark Angels discovered an abundance of geneseed from every Primarch, which Bile had collected during his hundreds of raids on the Imperium. The Lion sought the geneseed in order to rebuild his legion, and Fabius Bile promised to lend his support if the Dark Angels could repel the Imperial Fists and their Primarch, Rogal Dorn, who too sought geneseed. Without hesitation, the Dark Angels ambushed an encroaching Imperial Fist fleet commanded by Captain Efried. The warriors of the VII Legion suffered a decisive defeat, and were forced to retreat to Inwit. Whilst the Dark Angels recovered on the nearby dwarf planet of Dravich, Rogal Dorn appeared at the head of an armada, the entirety of the VII Legion, which opened fire on the Dark Angels. Springing into action, the Lion quickly countered the bombardment, before ordering his legionnaires to engage the Imperial Fists in space. In a battle not seen in such a scale since Isstvan V, the Rock tore through the Imperial Fists, until the Phalanx came into view. Aware that trying to bring down the Phalanx would result in an unacceptable amount of casualties, the Lion withdrew from Dravich and returned to Sarum. The Battle Of Dravich is considered a pyrrhic victory for the Dark Angels as, whilst they failed to cripple the Imperial Fists, they successfully repelled them and ensuring the safety of Sarum. As a reward, Bile gave his stockpile of Dark Angels' geneseed to the I Legion, allowing them to replenish and even increase their numbers.

In the centuries after the First Sarumian War, skirmishes between the two legions were common, whittling away at their numbers, yet all out war was avoided numerous times. However, in M37, a second conflict broke out when a squad of Alpha Legionnaires, disguised as Dark Angels, attempted to assassinate Fabius Bile. The assassins were swiftly dispatched, yet the rogue Apothecary believed that the Lion had orchestrated the attack. Taking advantage of his wilting loyalty, Rogal Dorn offered Fabius Bile the opportunity to align himself with the Imperial Fists, which he did. The Dark Angels were expelled from Sarum, and the Lion withdrew from a raid to focus his attention on Sarum. All across the sector, chaos erupted. Imperial Fist Daemonancers brought forth horrific creatures of the Warp, whilst the Dark Angels employed all manner of forbidden weaponry. A conflict of such scale could not go unnoticed, and quickly forces of the Imperium and Chaos were drawn in. Chapters such as the Soul Drinkers, Luna Wolves and Veiled Prophets allied with the Dark Angels, and warbands of the Word Bearers, Space Wolves and Iron Hands fought alongside the Imperial Fists. The war culminated on Sarum, where the Dark Angels and their allies launched a merciless attack on the Imperial Fists. The battle caused enormous casualties on both sides as the Rock and the Phalanx clashed in the upper atmosphere. After weeks of battle, the Dark Angels were unable to seize Sarum and the Rock had sustained severe damage. The Imperial Fists hailed a victory, until Fabius Bile's Consortium massacred the weakened defenders, gaining Sarum's independence.

The Third Sarumian War broke out as the 13th Black Crusade was at its height. Rogal Dorn, as a Daemon Primarch, had pledged a portion of his legion to aid the Warmaster Of Chaos, Gabriel Santar, and diminishing the garrison on Sarum. With their guard down, the Imperial Fists were taken at unawares by the Dark Angels, who seized the forge world in a matter of days. Fabius Bile and his Consortium surrendered to the attackers, and Bile himself was brought before the Lion. Despite the Primarch desiring only to deal justice to the Apothecary, the Lion was forced to keep Bile alive as, without him, the store of geneseed beneath Sarum would be unobtainable. Sarum was subjected to an occupation by the I Legion, and their numbers replenished quickly thanks to the surplus of geneseed and recruits taken from their fleet. After Cadia was shattered, Dorn returned to Sarum to ensure Fabius Bile's allegiance, only to be fired upon by the Dark Angels. The Primarch Of The VII Legion fled, gathering his forces nearby before launching his assault. Whilst the Dark Angels possessed superior numbers, the ranks of the Imperial Fists were bolstered by veterans of the Black Crusades, Astartes who had served alongside the Neverborn and fought against the best of the Imperium's armies. Sarum was placed under siege, and the war quickly stalemated. Every attempt to pierce the Dark Angels' defences was crushed, and every attempt to puncture the Imperial Fists' blockade was annihilated. As it seemed that the Imperial Fists were forced to break the siege due to low morale, a small ship from an unknown region of space slipped through the grip of the Imperial Fists and landed on Sarum. A messenger emerged, bearing a report for the Primarch Lion El'Jonson. That report: the resurrection of Horus Lupercal. Upon receiving news of the return of Horus Lupercal, Primarch of the Luna Wolves, the Lion returned to the Rock to meditate. The Dark Angels know not what the Lion brooded about, but when he emerged, he announced his intentions to end hostilities with the Imperial Fists, and instead prepare to end the Imperium once and for all. Without warning, the Dark Angels focussed their entire might and pierced the Imperial Fists' blockade, abandoning Sarum and fleeing into the void.

Homeworld

The once verdant world of Caliban was shattered during Angron's rampage across Imperium Secundus. Rolling fields, lush jungles and imposing castles were put to the torch by the World Eaters Legion, with no man, woman or child surviving the ransack and following bombardment. But remnants remained, splinters of the planet scattered across the local system. In an ingenious manoeuvre, the Dark Angels collected the shards of Caliban and reformed them into the Rock, a terrifying engine of war that serves as the hub of the Dark Angels. Its weaponry and defences were capable enough to cripple the Phalanx during the Second Sarumian War, though the Rock sustained much damage in the process.

Organisation

Many of the Lion's sons remain under their father's leadership. They pilot the Rock across realspace, targeting and capturing key weapons and resources from every faction in the galaxy. These tactics have made them a key target of the rising Tau Empire, and the resurgent Imperium.

Despite the Dark Angels' power, many of them have fallen to Chaos and forming warbands, the most famous of these being Holguin's Angels Of Pestilence. These are known as the Fallen, and the Dark Angels will hunt and cull them at any opposition, no matter the situation. The Dark Angels view the Fallen as a stain on their already twisted honour, and only by ending their kind can they be redeemed.

Shockingly, there have been occasions where the I Legion have allied with Imperial forces to crush a Chaos incursion. In late M41, a contingent force of Dark Angels commanded by Captain-Paladin Alaran Xerxian allied with the Ultramarines and Blood Ravens commanded by Captain Demetrian Titus to defeat the Chaos Lord Nemeroth and his warband, the Chosen Of Nemeroth, on the forgeworld of Graia. During the battle, Captain Titus saved the life of Captain-Paladin Xerxian. After the invasion had been defeated, the Ultramarines prepared to combat the Dark Angels but, in a surprise show of honour, the Dark Angels gifted the Ultramarines a stolen Ultramarine relic and bloodlessly withdrew from Graia. The Ultramarine Leandros however, was not aware of the Dark Angel presence, and the charges levied against Captain Titus in the aftermath of the battle did not include consorting with known traitors.

The Dark Angels are very organised and have a strict hierarchy, but ranks and positions are incredibly complex, even preventing Alpha Legionnaires and Night Lords from infiltrating the legion. All that is known is that their Primarch is at their helm, and his seconds are the notorious Merir Astelan and Alajos, who would engage eachother in brutal conflict if not for the Lion's command abilities.

Known Members

Ferrusian Heresy

- Primarch Lion El'Jonson

- Grandmaster Luther, remained loyal, founder of the Grey Knights

- Corswain, Captain-Paladin of the Ninth Order, remained loyal

- Holguin the Rotblade, former Lieutenant of Deathwing, leader of the Angels Of Pestilence

- Farith Redloss, Lieutenant of Deathwing

- Merir Astelan, First Master

- Alajos, former Master of the Ninth Order, current First Master

- Zahariel, Chief Librarian

Post-Heresy

- Primarch Lion El'Jonson, the Grand Prince Of Caliban

- Holguin the Rotblade, Champion Of Nurgle

- Merir Astelan, Grandmaster

- Alajos, Grandmaster

- Zahariel, Chief Librarian

- Azrael, Champion Of Caliban

- Asmodai, Master Interrogator-Chaplain

- Belial, Master Of Deathwing

- Sammael, Master Of Ravenwing

- Alaran Xerxian, Captain-Paladin

A/N: And that's the first of Index Astartes written. This took me way too long, but I hope you enjoy. Up next is the Emperor's Children, so no, no Lost Primarchs. I hope this is to your liking, and any reviews and criticisms are welcome.

Torgaddon out.