I do not own the Warhammer 40000 universe nor any of its characters. They belong to Games Workshop.
Inspired by the Dornian Heresy, by Aurelius Rex.

From : Agent 587-287-576-869, codename "Silence", current assignment : Commoragh

To : Outpost Gamma-39428

My lords,

Asdrubael Vect has sent messages to El'Uriaq, and made public declarations about how it was "time for the heirs of the Eldar Empire to put aside their differences and stand together to reclaim what is rightfully theirs". So far, the Tyrant of Shaa-Dom has been cautious, but it seems he is willing to meet with the Overlord to discuss things further. Their emissaries are discussing location and time.

You know what the consequences could be if Vect succeed in unifying the Dark Eldar. This cannot be allowed to happen. I doubt Vect's stated intentions are genuine, but I don't question his ambition and thirst for power. I await instructions, and will continue my investigations in the meantime.

To the end of glory.

From : Chemos, homeworld of the Third Legion

To : all Emperor's Children's forces – all astropathic personnel to relay this message at full capacity

Brothers ! The hour is dire. The forces of the Archenemy have entered the Chemos system. Dozens of ships, estimated to carry thousands of Traitor Legionaries and many times more of their foul and debased servants, breached the Mandeville Point less than an hour before this transmission. The fleet has been identified as belonging to the Black Legion. Worse, the commander of this dark armada has been identified to be no other than the Arch-Renegade himself.

That's right, brothers. For reasons only his own diseased mind can comprehend, Fabius Bile has come to Chemos, bringing with him a sizeable portion of the infamous Black Legion. Our analysts estimate that nearly the entire Black Legion's presence outside the Eye of Terror has come here.

We cannot let this opportunity to finally bring the traitor to justice and end our Legion's old shame pass. As per my authority as steward of the Legion until the Phoenician's return, I am recalling all Emperor's Children to Chemos. Bring any Imperial forces willing to fight at your side with you, for we shall need them. I know not why the Arch-Renegade has come, but I will lead my warriors in defense of Chemos. Our homeworld shall not be tainted with his foul designs until every son of Fulgrim on this planet is dead, and the traitors will pay a blood price for each of us – but as things stand, I fear that we will be unable to take them all to the grave with us. Come back quickly, brothers, or Fulgrim's world may be lost to the dark forces we have fought for ten thousand years.

I shall see you on the fields of our homeworld, or at the Emperor's side,

Legion Master Deradolon, Guardian of Chemos

From : Inquisitor Pontius Glaw, Ordo Hereticus

To : +REDACTED+

Priority : Black

My lord,

I have finally been able to locate the rogue Eisenhorn. He is on Sancour, a minor and nearly forgotten world that has long since entered the terminal phase of economical collapse, but hasn't died quite yet. Me and my Acolytes have come to the world itself and begun to hunt for Eisenhorn and his allies, but we aren't the only ones on his trail. It seems like every heretical faction in the Segmentum (and several from beyond) has sent agents to this world to find him, and the world is slowly falling to anarchy as they battle each other in the streets. I have identified elements from the First, Seventh, Ninth and Nineteenth Traitor Legions, as well as cults from every known aspect of the Ruinous Powers. So far, Eisenhorn has proved that he hasn't lost any of the skills he displayed when he was still a trusted member of the Ordos, and none of his pursuers have succeeded in killing him – though the battles he has fought have left their mark on the planet's cities and population.

The cult of the Divine Fratery is especially present in great numbers. From what I have been able to learn by interrogating one of their initiates, it seems that the seers of that cult are as worried about the potential consequences of Eisenhorn's actions as we are. They have abandoned their efforts on many potential calamities in order to focus their resources on Sancour, and my investigation has revealed that an entire army's worth of cultists and mercenaries in on its way to this planet.

Though I know that the Ordos' assets are stretched thin, I formally request reinforcements, both in Inquisitorial personnel, but also in military forces. Both, I believe, will be necessary to prevent what we fear from coming to pass. I also ask that the possibility of sentencing Sancour to Exterminatus be considered. While I do not believe it would succeed in removing the threat posed by Eisenhorn – he has lived through many supposedly impossible to survive situations – it would at least delay him, and deal a great blow to the heretical factions hunting him down. Furthermore, there is little of value on Sancour. Its loss would be an acceptable price to prevent the rise of the Yellow King.

I trust in your wisdom and assure you that I will do all in my power to track and bring down Eisenhorn before his madness dooms us all,

Pontius Glaw

From : Warsmith Shon'tu of the Iron Warriors, commander of the Hydra Cordatus garrisson

To : High Command of the Cadian Iron Cage

Priority : Omega

Note : much of the context of the message was lost, as a dozen astropaths went mad when it was received, shrieking about the "coming of the Shadowed One". Once the message was cleansed of corrupting influence, only its core meaning remained.

+++ New development in Raven Guard siege of the fortress +++

+++ Revising previous estimations that current forces could hold, I request reinforcements +++

+++ Fourth Legion forces and allies will hold as long as possible, but defeat likely inevitable +++

+++ Bring daemonhunters – Ordo Malleus' militant chamber likely best and only option +++

+++ the Ravenlord has come – Corax is here +++

CORAX IS HERE CORAX IS HERE BLOOD BONE FLESH -

ABORTING READING – CORRUPTED DATA

From : Imperial World Tartarus

To : all Imperial forces

Priority : Alpha

This is a call for assistance to all Imperial forces who receive it. Tartarus is under attack by Chaos forces, led by Chaos Marines. The orbital defenses and our in-system flotilla have been destroyed, allowing the traitors to make planetfall unhindered. The capital has fallen, the Governor is dead, and I have assumed command of the planetary government. I am aware that this is an out stepping of my role. I shall willingly submit myself to investigation for this usurpation as soon as this crisis is over.

Intelligence on the enemy is scarce, but they appear to be led by a Traitor Astartes called Gabriel Angelos, though his forces call him the "Blood Raven". While the enemy forces count in the tens of thousands, there are only a handful of Astartes in leadership position among those attacking us. The Blood Raven himself hasn't led the assault on the remaining cities – instead, he and his followers are active in the plains, but I do not know what they are doing. It is taking all that we have left to hold onto the last cities of Tartarus, which are packed with refugees from those which fell in the early stages of the invasion. The enemy's blood thirst is immense, and they care nothing for losses.

I have also received reports of another force at work on Tartarus, and while these reports contain little evidence, what evidence they do include point at involvement from the Eldar. Why the xenos might have come to Tartarus is unknown to me, but it cannot mean anything good for us.

The PDF of Tartarus will hold as long as they can, but without reinforcements, I fear our planet is doomed to whatever fell destiny the Blood Raven or the Eldar have in mind for us.

The Emperor protects,

Colonel Carus Brom, Acting Governor of Tartarus

From : Acolyte Elyd Zarek

To : Ordo Vigilus Headquarters, South Pole, Holy Terra

Priority : Vermillion

Masters,

As per your orders, I have spent the last two weeks examining and cross-referencing records, and I am afraid that the numbers do not lie : the Echoes of Blood are growing louder. In the last century, accounts of individuals being corrupted by the baleful influence of the Blood Angel have increased tenfold. The priests of Horus' Memorial doubled the amount of exorcisms and ritual purifications more than fifty years ago, but at least one hundred of their personnel have been revealed to be corrupted as well. As you know, some of them performed their blasphemies within the Memorial itself twenty years ago, and the numbers indicate that things went even worse after that. I suspect that, even if the heretics were stopped by the Custodes before they could complete their dreadful ritual, they still made some progress toward freeing the ancient evil that this holy ground contains.

More disquieting are the cults that have begun to sprout in the workers' districts, worshiping an entity they call the "True Angel". It is said to promise deliverance from the misery and unfairness of the dregs' existence, and grant them eternal life and joy. Cells of the cult are responsible for several hideous murders, followed by the ritualistic mutilation of the victim which sole purpose seems to be to spill as much blood as possible on Terra, in violation of the holy prohibitions. I believe these cultists have been touched by the Echoes of Blood, their souls warped by Sanguinius' evil.

The details of my findings are attached to this transmission. I implore you not to underestimate the danger at play here. We all know the source of the Echoes of Blood, but in my investigations I have begun to wonder if we truly understand the power that lies even in the Blood Angel's dreams.

Astropathic transmission 2865048-3595828-FVE

Identified origin location : 86.689% probability Calixis Sector, 56.112% capital world Scintilla

Warning : transmission heavily damaged. Recovered content estimated at 12.842219702%

Begin decoding transmission …

… Yu'vath ships coming out of the Jerico Reach, an armada unlike anything …

… black star, burning the soul and twisting the flesh, unleashed its …

… the blood of the Raven has awakened …

… the Worms have launched a massive offensive … billions dead, their brains consumed …

… white-clad giant with a pair of axes leading the fight against the invaders …

… unverified reports that the Traveller has returned and is fighting every other abomination …

… the stars are going dark ! My lords, the stars are –

… End of transmission. The Machine Knows All, the Machine Sees All.

From : Inquisitor Hesral Morion

To : Ordo Xenos council

Priority : Black

My esteemed colleagues,

The Octarian War is over, and Kryptmann's Gambit failed, as we all suspected it would in the end. The Orks and Tyranids did not destroy each other : the latter emerged the victors, stronger than ever. The Great Devourer triumphed when it spawned a new kind of organism, one we have never encountered before, seemingly designed specifically to fight the greenskins. Unfortunately, I have been unable to procure a specimen for study, and what little information I have was recovered from a long distance by my agents in the system, most of them did not survive for extraction. This new genetic abomination seems to be able to disrupt the mysterious Waaaagh ! connections that exist between all greenskins, preventing them access to this well of psychic energy. Without it, their will to fight is broken, and their psykers are unable to wield the full scope of their destructive powers.

With these new Tyranids, Hive-fleet Leviathan struck at the Orks' fortresses, slaying the Warbosses and preventing the rise of new ones. Without leadership, the Orks have broken apart, and are fleeing the Octarius Sector in droves while being slaughtered by the Great Devourer's swarms. Imperial systems in the vicinity are being overrun by the fleeing Orks, and the Tyranids will not be long behind them. Ghazghkull Magu Uruk Thraka, the infamous Ork warlord responsible for the Third War for Armageddon, has also arrived amidst the confusion, rallying many of the fractured mobs to his banner. I do not know what his intentions are – he might seek to fight back against the swarm, or he might want to bring his new horde back with him to Armageddon. Should that be his goal, then I fear that the planet would soon fall under the onslaught of so many reinforcements. Yet the Beast of Armageddon isn't our greatest concern – the Tyranid Swarm is. It will take some time for the Hive-fleet to finish consuming all the biomass the Orks have left behind, but when it does, I fear it will be unstoppable. Considering the reports of their existing numbers and the increasing number of conflicts throughout the galaxy, I have been forced to an unwelcome conclusion :

I believe the Bestiam Domitores might hold our only chance to stop Hive-fleet Leviathan now.

From : Magos Uriah Novkarion

To : Fabricator-General Abristus Teslivi

Priority : Omega

Venerated Hand and Eyes of the Omnissiah, blessed be His work,

Despite the best efforts of my team and myself, I fear that what the servants of the Machine-God have always known and dreaded to be inevitable will soon happen. The glorious Golden Throne is failing, sacred component after sacred component breaking down under the strain of ten thousand years of continuous use, and we lowly servants of the Omnissiah's glory cannot repair or replace them. Mercifully, the psychic amplifiers remain intact, though our instruments indicate that the divine power coursing through them has diminished slowly but steadily over the last ten millennia – please see my previous report and suggestion for increasing the tithe of sacrificed psykers.

But the stasis-field and life-support systems are in such a condition that they could fail at any moment, bringing the mortal body of the God-Machine at the cruel mercies of time. When this happens, the consequences will be catastrophic beyond any simulation.

The hour might have come to initiate our last-chance protocols, much as it might seem like heresy.

May the blessings of the Omnissiah be upon your circuits, in this darkest of hours, and illuminate the path to deliverance for us all.

From : Lord Baptiste Leorn the Third, Governor of Hive-World Abbracius, Segmentum Pacificus

To : Adeptus Terra Sector Council

Priority : Crimson

My Lords,

It is with deep shame that I must tell you that the world you have entrusted into my stewardship has come under attack from an unknown but powerful foe. Three months ago, every station tasked with monitoring the border between the Segmentium Pacificus and the Halo Zone went dark, with not even an astropathic distress call being sent. We reacted by marshaling our forces and preparing for an hostile incursion, but we did not foresee the true scope of the threat. Horrors have poured forth from the Halo Stars, xenos-tainted humans fighting alongside Traitor Astartes wearing the mark of the Wolf King but displaying none of the savagery and bestiality this breed of heretic is known for.

Three of Abbracius' seven major cities have already fallen to the invader, and the reports from the units that remain trapped behind enemy lines paint a grim picture of inhuman experiments and atrocities being visited upon the population. The leaders of the foe call themselves the "Wolf Brothers", and while they outwardly appear to be Traitor Astartes, the dissection of one of their fallen has revealed a great … divergence from the Emperor's holy design for the Legions, something that my savants tell me isn't related to the touch of the Ruinous Powers.

Though the PDF troops fight with all the courage that could be expected from them, I fear that the only reason the remaining cities stand still is because the enemy is still busy "processing" the civilians in the captured hives. Intercepted communications indicate that the commander of this force is a being called "Hraldir", but he hasn't been sighted on the battlefield, though he appears responsible for many of the atrocities being visited upon my people.

I call for assistance in liberating Abbracius from this dreadful threat, before the only deliverance that can be granted to both world and population is the fire of Exterminatus.

The Emperor Protects.

From : Agent 320-839-601-666, codename "Martyr", current assignement : Ocularis Terribus

To : Outpost Omega-46789

I fear that I don't have much time left, brothers. The voices grow worse, laughing and mocking at the edge of my mind, while the shadows grow ever closer, waiting for me to show a moment's weakness so that they might pounce and consume all that I have left to sacrifice …

Duty. Duty is all I have left. Duty is all I ever had. I will not fail you, my lords. Otherwise, what was the point of everything I lost, everything I did ? I will not fail. I must not fail … But the Betrayer's Mask grows strong, and I grow weak. There is not much time left, so listen well …

Despite our best efforts, Bile's influence in the Eye of Terror has increased dramatically. It seems like this black-hearted traitor is everywhere at once, forging alliances with all manners of horrors and binding others to his will through sheer strength and cunning. He has raised the banner of a Black Crusade again, his mouthpieces spouting rethoric about the destruction of Cadia and the shattering of the Iron Cage once and for all. New recruits flock to the Black Legion, and warbands from the other Traitor Legions are also rallying to its black and gold banner. I have seen the staging grounds of this armada with my own eyes : mighty fleets and vast armies, followed by infernal hosts pacted to the service of the sorcerous covens who have joined the Primogenitor's cause. Rumors abound about what other abominations the Clone Lord might have added to his cause, but even if his forces are limited to those I can confirm myself, then when the signal is given Cadia will face an onslaught such as it has never seen before. I beg you, take heed of my warning – for if Cadia falls, then this horde of the Lost and the Damned will pour on the galaxy unchecked, and …

… and then … Nothing will stop them … Nothing … will … stop … us …

From : Mining World Damnos

To : Ultima Segmentum High Command

Priority : Crimson

Esteemed lords of the Imperium,

Damnos is under attack. Three weeks ago, an hostile fleet entered the system. Considering its numbers, our system defenses chose not to pointlessly sacrifice themselves in an attempt to deny them orbital superiority. Mandos Prime, our primary mining complex, fell within hours. So far, the enemy has focused its attention on that city : our scouts have detected signs that the mining machinery has been reactivated, as if whatever the foe is seeking lies deep beneath the surface.

The nature of the enemy is especially troubling. There are Traitor Marines among them, bearing the mark of a great wolf upon their armor and led by a corrupted Dreadnought. But a broad variety of hideous xenos has also been sighted among the invasion force. These creatures are those against which Damnos' defenders fight the most, since they, unlike the renegade Astartes, do not remain within Mandos Prime's borders. Instead, they raid the other settlements, taking captives and loot. Several hive-cities have fallen, despite the brave efforts and sacrifice of the Regiments under my command. Kellenport, the planetary capital, still holds, and it is from within its walls that I and my council prosecute the war against the traitors and alien scum that despoil our world. But that war is going poorly, for the enemy both outnumbers and outguns us.

Worse, another kind of foe seems to have appeared on Damnos : cold, metallic creatures that fight without a sound and wield weaponry unlike anything my military advisers have ever seen before. These nightmarish horrors have attacked both the people of Damnos and the invaders, showing no mercy or interest for the capture of Imperial installations – they simply destroy everything in their way. In our sporadic contacts with the system defense fleet, we have learned of no new spacecraft through which these beings could have arrived to Damnos. Furthermore, unlike the wolf-marked invaders and their xenos allies, we have neither intercepted nor received any transmission from the metallic warriors, safe for a single message that was broadcast soon before they razed the entire hive of Argolis : "We are the Necrons. We are death. Surrender and die."

Damnos cannot stand alone against such foes, and I beg you for aid. Without prompt assistance, this world shall surely fall to one or the other of the dark forces that do battle upon its soil.

In the Emperor's Name,

Hieronymus Syranth, Governor of Damnos

Report 16828/3183520/Omechron

They are all dead ! Do you hear me ?! The governor, the general, the magos and all the others, they are dead ! That … That thing, it ate them all, one by one, picked them up from the ground and put them into that … that gaping, horrible maw, and it chewed them and it ate them and … and … oh, blessed Emperor, preserve Your humble servant from the machinations of the Dark Powers …

And there are more like it ! I ran out of the palace's ruins, calling in for an orbital bombardment, hoping that it could be killed by the ships in orbit, and then I saw that it wasn't alone : there were at least five more I could see from the palace's entrance, rampaging across the hive, all spindly limbs and fanged mouths, picking up people and devouring them. And there were people screaming everywhere, running in blind panic, trying to get away from the great beasts. Others were on their knees, nothing but bloody wounds where their eyes should be, or rolling on the ground screaming. But they weren't the worst, oh no. The worst was those who were laughing amidst the chaos, laughing and killing everyone they could reach, and then eating the dead, never stopping laughing and wailing while they did. I don't know if it's the same in the other cities, I haven't been able to reach any of them – the satellites in orbit are beyond reach, hidden away behind that hideous tear in the sky through which the horrible monsters came tumbling down, and which shows only darkness and madness to those foolish enough to look up. It's been … days ? Weeks ? Months ? I don't know. I found a hiding place in the rubble of an old clockwork shop, but I have eaten through all my provisions, and I am getting hungry, so hungry … I need to go out, find some food.

Emperor protect me. Emperor protect us all.

From : Hive-world Juno, capital of the Askellon Sector

To : +REDACTED+

Priority : Black

Master,

The Askellon Sector is lost to the Imperium. For hundreds of years, this region of space has teetered on the brink of the abyss, and in the last days, it has finally all fallen apart. The noble bloodlines of Juno have succumbed to the lies of Vulkan, and the Disciples of the Dragon now rule openly across the entire Sector. Shrine worlds have been defaced, their treasures plundered as offerings to the cult's dread patron. The sins of the Sector have finally reached a boiling point, and the efforts of many members of the Ordos have been insufficient, in the end. The Lord Sector is dead, a member of the Disciples now ruling in his stead. Across the Sector, there are still those who resist the Disciples and their corrupted armies, but they are distressingly few, and will soon be wiped out. The Disciples have successfully united all manner of heretical factions under their banner, though several have refused to submit and continue to fight even now. The population of the Sector, crushed as it has been under the boot of the aristocracy for millennia, sees little reason to revolt against this change of master. All faith in the God-Emperor has been bled out of them by uncounted generations of oppression and cruelty, and many have willingly embraced the heresies that now flourish unopposed across the worlds of the Askellon Sector. Desoleum, once known for the piety and obedience of its population, had the latter attribute turned against itself when a powerful witch of the Disciples perverted the complex structure of oaths that binds Desoleum's society together. Now this dark queen, known as the Oathtaker, holds the souls of all Desoleum in her corrupted grasp – more than three hundred billions men and women enslaved to her will. And the Pandaemonium, the great Warp Storm that looms over the Sector, has spat out tides of daemons that have swarmed several worlds, which are now lost beyond all hope of salvation.

Nothing short of a full Crusade can hope to cleanse Askellon and bring it back into the Imperium now. But until such a time arrives, Askellon, and all its dark secrets and terrible treasures, belongs to the Black Dragon. May the Emperor have mercy on our souls, for surely neither Vulkan nor his human puppets shall. I will attempt to flee Juno soon, but I do not know whether or not I will succeed. Should I fail, this will likely be my final message – unless you hear from me in person, do not trust any further communication claiming to hail from me. For while we have all heard about the dreadful necromancies of the Disciples, I have witnessed them with my own eyes, and I fear such a fate for myself should I be captured by the cultists of Vulkan.

The Emperor Protects,

Acolyte Jahal Nervis, Ordo Hereticus

Mission Briefing 30835

From : Ethereal Council, Tau Empire

To : Commander O'shovah

Commander O'shovah,

After decades of planning, the hour has finally come. The forces of the Tau Empire will break the quarantine laid by the gue'la's Imperium around the region of space they call the Ruinstorm and that is known to us as the Kingdom of Ultramar. Many diplomatic contacts have been made with the gue'la leaders of this Kingdom, trapped within their own borders by the Imperium for these last ten thousand years. They have agreed to join the Tau Empire if we can free them of the Imperium's imprisonment, and it is the decision of the Ethereal Council that we come to their aid.

To ensure success in this most critical of endeavors, it has been decided that both disciples of Puretide shall be sent to lead the armada we are deploying to the Iron Cage, the greatest ever seen in the glorious history of our people. Both you, O'shovah, known among our kind as Farsight, and your comrade Commander O'Shaserra, who received the title of Shadowsun for her exploits in service to the Greater Good, will be deployed against the oppressive forces of the Imperium. Like you, she has been awakened from her stasis slumber. Doubtlessly you will meet her during the journey to the Iron Cage – the Ethereal Council expects the two of you to put any past differences you might have had aside, and work together to bring freedom to the people of Ultramar.

For the Greater Good,

Aun'Va, Master of the Undying Spirit, Speaker of Great Truths, Father of His People, the Great Leader, the Shining Light

From : Imperial Seer 052-780-361-053, codename "Odipeus"

To : Outpost Sigma-8080 – Ruinstorm Iron Cage

Black blood flows on the world of lies,

The filth of the depths is rising to the surface,

The sons of the storm will come together in war,

And be forged into a sword by the hand that slumbers.

The traitor son will seek his father's doom,

And be brought low by the judgement eluded for so long.

The twisted hero and the triumphant warlord will come,

Drawn to the promises of bloodshed and power,

While the prophet of the ancient maze rises for reasons known only to him.

The throne that is a tomb will fall, and the screamless king will stand,

Sending tremors of fear and hope across the stars themselves.

The king's servants shall gather once more, together at the foot of the throne,

Kneeling before the one chosen to inherit the power of the divine.

And the shadowy monarch will rage as his plans come undone,

As a lost crown can never be reclaimed, a pawn, once made a king can never be made a pawn again,

Nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

From : Astra Militarum Segmentum Ultima High Command

To : Commissar Ciaphas Cain

Priority : Vermillion

Thought for the day : "Loyalty is its own reward."

Commissar Cain,

Due to the recent surges in activity from the Eye of Terror, it has been decided that your retirement will be temporarily suspended once more. The ship Harbinger of Virtue will soon arrive to Perlia to carry you, along with several new tithed Regiments, to Cadia, where you will be assigned to one of the Regiments defending the planet alongside the Iron Warriors. You are expected to make all necessary preparations for your departure. A replacement to the Schola shall be dispatched in due time, and we trust in the abilities of the remaining personnel to make due in your absence.

The situation on Cadia is dire. The heretical presence among the local population has greatly increased in the last few years, with a catastrophic spike in recent months. Your duties will include maintaining morale in the local Regiments, something your reputation should make an easy task. You will also be tasked with liaising between the Astra Militarum command, the Fourth Legion, and the Inquisitorial presence on Cadia. Your past actions have proved your capability in that regard, and it is vital that Cadia's defenders work together rather than each alone.

In the name of the Emperor, death to His foes.

PS : I shall see you on Cadia – A.V.

PPS : For the Emperor.

From : Observation outpost Delta-42

To : Terathalion Legion Command

Priority : Code Prospero

+Terminus message : outpost lost to hostile force+

+Chaos fleet located on approach to the Terathalion system+

+Estimated time of arrival : within 2 to 4 weeks of reception of this message+

+Estimated strength : at least 200 ships of various categories+

+Prognosticated forces on board : several thousand Traitor Astartes, unknown number of mortal troops – lower end estimation : 10,000,000 cultists and other degenerate forces+

+Ship identifiers show Sixth Legion allegiance on 40% of all enemy vessels+

+Vessels registering in the databases as belonging to the First Legion also detected+

+WARNING : the daemonship Invisible Hand has been identified among the Chaos fleet+

+SARTHORAEL IS COMING – VENGEANCE FOR THE PRIMARCH+

AN : And so, it begins. Nearly three years after I began writing this story, we finally arrive in the Times of Ending. So much preparation, so many pages of notes - now it's time for me to actually write this monster. I can only say this : the universe will not be the same by the time I am done.

I know I said I would finish Warband of the Forsaken Sons before doing this, but what can I say ? I changed my mind.

At first, I thought I would put the Times of Ending in a different fic altogether, but again, I changed my mind after discussing it with several of my readers, both here and on Spacebattles. Instead, I am going to title the chapters in the format of this one.

Now, about what format this story will take from this point onward. This chapter is an introduction, and therefore unique. From this point on, the chapters will either be short stories (like the next one) or written in the format of the Gathering Storm books from GW : "historical" accounts, with short scenes actually written and asides describing specific elements. Basically, what I did for the Index Astartes. The chapter after the next one will be the first one in that format.

There is another thing I must inform you of, about which I am very excited. Nemris, long-time artist for the Roboutian Heresy, has accepted to do commissioned work for the Times of Ending. What that means is that, sometimes, a chapter will have an actual illustration. Besides the great quality of his work, these artworks will help you get a mental image of the characters - and, in some cases, reveal hints about what is to come. Unfortunately, ffnet does not allow to put images in the stories, so I will be forced to rely on putting the title of the corresponding illustration at the appropriated point in the story. All the artworks (including the existing ones, which are awesome and that you should totally check out) are on Nemris' page on DeviantArt.

Also, check Blood of Ignorance, by Jaenera Targayen, and Raven's Feast, by Nemris, both stories taking place in the Roboutian Heresy verse. There is also Night of the Wolf, by morion87 (and several other authors have contacted me, so expect more stuff in the RH universe). If you yourself are interested in writing stories taking place in this alternate verse, do not hesitate to contact me with your ideas (I kinda insist on checking the stuff beforehand, to help you ensure it's compatible with the greater "canon").

Well, that's all for now. The next part is in writing right now, and there is an illustration planned for it with Nemris. So many ideas, so many arcs, and so little time ... But I will get it all done, I promise. I will take my time, though. After so long spent in preparations, I don't want to mess it up by going to fast.

Tell me if you liked it, tell me if you have questions (I will answer them if it's not spoilers), tell me what you think these ominous tidings mean for the galaxy and what you hope will happens. You would be surprised how many of the ideas in my notes were born from a comment or review.

Zahariel out.