I

The Dream

Darkness. Complete darkness and eerie silence surround me now. My body is like stone; rigid and immovable. I can't tell if I am standing or kneeling. What is this place? How did I come here?

I can feel both my hearts beating. Too fast.

A sound. Unfamiliar. Where is it coming from?

Sweat is dripping down my face and my heartbeats are louder now. I have never experienced this sensation. Could this be fear?

That strange sound again. Louder and closer this time.

An odd shape just appeared in front of me. Too dark to see.

It's coming to me. Moving closer.

Who are you?

Its face is now close to me. I can see its teeth. Shiny and metallic. Not human. Why is it smiling?

What are you?

Its mouth opens. I see something inside.

WHAT ARE YOU?!

"SWORD BROTHER GILTBERT!"

Giltbert abruptly raises his head up; his eyes wide open. Standing around him was his Chapter battlebrothers. Their expressions was filled with worry.

"Are you well, brother?" one of them asked.

Giltbert found himself kneeling in the prayer room of the battle barge Obsidius Euxinum. Assured by the familiarity of the room, he rose to his feet only to realize cold sweat was dripping from his bare head.

"I…" he said, his throat dry, "Am well."

"Out of the way!" a voice echoed in the prayer room

The battlebrothers around Giltbert took a step back as another Black Templar Astartes approached him. He was a mirror image of Giltbert; even having the same two metallic service studs on the left side of his temple. The only difference was the large red cross emblem on his tunic.

"Castellan Eligor." Giltbert said as he looked at his approaching superior.

Eligor grabbed Gilbert's pauldrons and looked intently at him with a worrisome look.

"I have been calling your name several times, brother," Eligor said, "Yet you remained silent and kept kneeling."

"How long was I kneeling?" Giltbert asked.

"Long enough for me to rush over to you immediately. What happened?"

Giltbert did not answer immediately. His mind was still comprehending the dream he had just had.

"Giltbert?" Eligor asked again.

"I believe," the sword brother spoke slowly, "I just had a vision."

Eligor eyes opened wildly.

"Where is the Chaplain?" he asked aggressively towards one of the Black Templar neophytes.

"He should be in the chapel, my lord." the space marine answered.

"Tell him I am bringing Sword Brother Giltbert to him," Eligor said as he released his grip on Giltbert's pauldron, "This is of utmost importance."

Eligor stood in front of the chapel with his arms crossed. It has been hours since Chaplain Bodegesil took Giltbert into the chapel. And he was getting impatient. Although he knew the importance of the upcoming crusade, he could not help feeling concerned for Giltbert. After all, they were blood brothers from Kilhaven. Their parents had perished during a battle between the Black Templars and the abominable xenos Necrons. It was only because of Gerhart Brunner that they were recruited as Expectanten. For centuries, they had fought together in every crusade; moving up the ranks from Neophytes into elite Sword Brothers. It was only because Giltbert refused the Castellan rank that Eligor received the title. To this day, he never knew why his blood brother had refused the rank.

The sound of creaking doors alerted Eligor as he turned to the chapel. Giltbert stepped out; an exhausted look on his face. Following behind him was Chaplain Bodegesil. Although his face was covered by the skull helm, Eligor could see that the chaplain had some reservations.

"How did it go?" Eligor asked as Giltbert walked towards him.

"Now, I understand what interrogations are like," he replied, "He has asked me many questions and my mind seeks respite."

"And you shall have it," Eligor said with a grin, "Better to rest your mind before our crusade."

"I will be in my quarters then, my lord."

Eligor watched as Gilbert headed away from the chapel. As soon as Gilbert was out of sight, the grin on his face immediately disappeared.

"His vision is most peculiar."

Eligor turned to find Chaplain Bodegesil standing behind him.

"It is not like the visions received by every Emperor's Champions I've met." the skull-faced chaplain said with mix of worry and intrigue.

"Is it a genuine vision?" Eligor asked, "Or some form of trickery by outside forces?"

"That I am unsure."

"Explain."

"As I've said," Chaplain Bodegesil reiterated, "His vision is unlike any I have heard from every Emperor's Champion. There was even no mention of an impossible foe or a tide of endless enemies in it at all."

"Yet," he continued, "Every recount of his vision is exactly the same. I have even looked through the Liber Divinitus and the daemonic symbols in that book did not appear in his recounts."

"How strange," Eligor uttered, his brows furrowing, "And just before the crusade."

"Strange indeed," the chaplain replied and nodded his head, "That is why I have not proceeded with the ritual."

Eligor furrowed his brows even further.

"Rest assured, brother," Chaplain Bodegesil said as he placed his hand on Eligor's right pauldron, "I will be monitoring him closely."

"I am thankful for that," the castellan said, his concern slightly diminished, "Has Marshal Verrater been informed of this?"

"He has. In fact, the Marshal would like to speak to you."